> Revenge of the Nightmares
>  by Commander_Pensword
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> Nightmare Night
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------


Nightmare Night
	

The Harvest Moon was glowing a soft orange as Luna smiled at her creation while her black chariot flew across the celestial body on Nightmare Night. Departing from Canterlot Castle, they made their way to the town she has grown to love. Looking left to right she noticed two extra guards that her sister must have sent but didn't give much thought and just assumed more fun in Ponyville.

However, Luna couldn’t shake a growing sense of dread in the bottom of her gut. She could feel something wrong in the night air, but what? She tilted her head; maybe it was worry over how the town would react to her visit. She smirked, after all, since her last time visiting she had decided to enlist both Rainbow Dash and Pinkie Pie in her little scheme.

The chariot continued its way towards the town of Ponyville as the wind blew through Luna's mane. Though promised of a wonderful party that was not full of the Canterlot elite by her sister, she was going to spend it her way. Not in some stuffy banquet that was lacking of the one thing she knew Ponyville would have, a fun night of games and laughter.

That same harvest moon bathed all of Equestria in its light, including the ruins of a once mighty and magnificent castle in what was now the Everfree Forest. The Castle had lost a few more stones and looked a little worse for wear since the fateful battle two years ago. However, it still could not keep out a band of figures who were gathering around a circle, all of them speaking in whispers and looking as if it was an everyday occurrence to be in the heart of a dangerous forest. The cloaks they were wearing covered their faces. The only visible part of their head being the unicorn horn coming out of the small hole, allowing control of their magic.

“Now,” A raspy voice called out as the moonlight rose to finally bath the entire room in its light. One could almost call the light beautiful, magical even, and yet the air was cold and the wind still. It was as if nature itself was holding its breath at this spot in the Everfree Forest. The one that spoke seemed to be the leader; he looked at the center of the circle of unicorns, a young unicorn colt who shivered in fright as the specter of unicorns slowly closed around him. “You should feel honored.” The same raspy voice spoke.

“You will help bring about the true reign of the pony that will lead us all to victory, bringing all lives together in a harmony never seen before. I only regret that you won’t live to see what it is you must do to help us achieve this goal, but sacrifices,” his voice grew detached and cold, “Must, be made.” His horn began to glow and soon every other unicorn was pouring magic into the spell that was forming above the group.

The Colt tried to move but the ropes had been staked down to prevent him from moving from the middle of the circle. His eyes widened more in fear as he could almost hear a dark chuckle as he saw, in the only shadow of the room, a pile of purple glowing smoke appearing, he closed his eyes and prayed for help and safety.

The air became more charged with the feel of what the young unicorn knew was going to be a very powerful spell. It seemed they were working fast and hard. To his own horror, the Colt felt his eyes forced open on their own as he saw a sickly purple glow surrounding him, and he could feel as if something was tightening its grip over his body and squeezing slowly he was unable to shake as it grew tighter and tighter, there was a chuckle, that same chuckle as a voice whispered into his mind, or was it his ear? He couldn’t tell.

“No need to fear just yet,” The voice sounded almost giddy at the pain it was causing. “You won’t die tonight, but you are going to be sent to a world that is far more violent than ours. A world that would never think twice of harming something out of fear and terror, and they are going to become my new puppet, a life for a life, so thank you.” There was a pause before the voice chuckled.

"Since you are moments away from being transferred, and as you can only hear my voice, I shall tell you just what I have planed." There was a chuckle this one deeper, richer, and more alive. "Yes, I can feel it, the power, it is getting closer, soon I shall have what will be a creature of hunger, of anger, the need to control the world with its own might, and with my power, with my might, they will not be opposed, with their imagination for conflict, I shall reign both in this world... and then the homeland of these most delightful creatures." The voice this... nightmare's voice to the Colt sounded truly thankful that he was going to be, what? Sent to a new world? He gulped as he suddenly felt his voice returning but could only scream in pain as the spell was reaching the climax.

At this moment in time, would make for either the safety of the world or doom it to the resurgence of an evil presence, one brave soul took action. The unicorn that stood next to the leader looked at the Unicorn Colt and pushed the ringleader into the Unicorn next to him causing a chain reaction that lasted seconds, yet the screams of pain and red lightning arched around the entire circle, building till it filled the entire room with a blinding light of red that slowly, ever so slowly began to dim into nothing. The room looked worse for the wear, deep gouges were left from the energy of the suddenly disrupted spell, everything was silent, till almost as if nature had decided it was over, and let a small breeze of air as if a giant had suddenly slowly breathed out in a sigh of relief.

The breeze tickled the leaves on some of the vines in the once magnificent throne room; it also seemed to have little thought to disturbed the littered cloaks that had fallen to the ground. A fine dust was slowly being spread; the cloak of the unicorn that had set off the chain reaction was lifted a little showing a golden breastplate with a sun emblem upon the front, the bottom of the breastplate was covered in a pile of dust, smudging the glimmer of the armor. The Dust that had built up around and under the cloaks, creating a strange kind of wall around where the Unicorn colt had been, however unlike the circle, the middle was clean, clear of anything but one thing.

A strange lanky creature lay in the middle of the circle, much larger than the Colt had been. This creature unlike the Unicorns that were there before, looked like it could stand on two legs, was dressed in some strange clothing, all a different shade of tan, starting at his feet, the creature had covering them a light tan covering, which had the pants tucked inside of the footwear. The pants and the rest of his clothing were covered with the strange designs of square dots, rectangles, and Jigsaw like pieces if you got close enough, far enough away, it all blended together to create some kind of camouflages. On his back was a pack with the same type of design, that looked rather fully and bulky, on the top near the head of the creature was a sleeping roll or bag that was latched to the pack with some ropes. His arms were sprawled out in front of him, as his head lay buried into the ground, a helmet with the same design as the rest of his clothing firmly attached to his head, his left hand resting on a long black metal tube that was attacked to some kind of mechanism. The creature slowly breathed in and out looking peaceful and pure innocence, unaware of the breeze that was blowing over him, the Moonlight soft orange glow, or the hissing sound as if some creature was in pain, coming from a pile of ruined armor that was on the raised dais of the throne room. At that moment in time, the room was silent and peaceful.
> Snakes of Darkness
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Snakes of Darkness


Princess Luna grinned as her chariot landed in front of the Golden Oak Library as the Guards smiled and sat down. She stepped off the chariot and walked over to the two guards that had pulled the chariot from Canterlot to Ponyville; using her magic to help remove the chains. “Thou art released for the evening, go and enjoy the festivities for the night.”

She moved to knock on the door when she gasped in pain, kneeling on the ground and placing her front hooves on her head. Her eyes screwed shut from the pain. The magical flow in the air caused her eyes to snap open sending another jolt of pain through her body. Her pupils shrank in fear as she jerked back to a standing position.

“Return to me Guards.” Her voice boomed in the royal Canterlot voice. She was good to see her personal guards, dressed with reptilian wings and the eyes were all ready for action. The door opened as Twilight looked outside, her eyes swirling. This year she had decided to go with her Star Swirl the Bearded again as she was still planning to start the Pony Group Study on Pony History.

“What is wrong Princess?” Twilight Sparkle asked in worry. “Is there a problem? You, do realize that you kind of ruined your surprise scare this year, Pip…” She didn’t finished her sentence.

“Twilight,” Princess Luna began. “Get the other Bearers of Harmony, I fear that something that came long before, has returned and if so,” She looked at Twilight. “Inform my Sister that she will need to bring the Elements of Harmony to Ponyville right away.”

“What’s wrong?” Twilight asked once again, she could see something was really agitating Princess Luna. “What’s happened that would need the Elements?” She began to worry as many different possibilities began to crowd her mind; each one worse than the last.

“The Nightmare I fear might have returned. The foul creature thou hast banished from my jealousy fueled rage just disrupted the local Magical field of the area.” She turned her head as her horn began to glow a faint blue color. “Coming from…” her voice trailed off as her eyes looked towards the distant shape of the Everfree Forest. Twilight had nothing more to say but to duck into the Library yelling for Spike. However she did shout. “Meet all at the Element of Kindness, as she lives closest to the Everfree Forest.”

She looked at the guards. “Take off and scout ahead, I fear, there is only one place that might offer the protection needed to summon a foul creature… the old home of my sister and I.” She without another word took to the air, flying towards the forest edge. The four Pegasus guards formed up as they all flew towards the ruins that were in the Everfree Forest.

The ruins were silent. The breeze had picked up a little, causing the fabric to rustle, but the sound was still silent enough to not wake the sleeping being that was in the middle of the circle. The sounds of quiet whimpering had faded as the shadows began to die more and more as the moon rose further into the sky. From a darker corner of the room, and a place where time, moister, and the breakdown of elements, a small hole had formed that could allow some creatures to enter into this chamber. As the breeze moved, the breathing form of a new creature disturbed the dust on the stone ground; a creature did enter into the room. A dark green shape slithered into the room, a dark red forked tongue flickered in and out, tasting the air, it slowly slithered towards the creature, the only thing that radiated warmth and not the sickly magic taste some of the creatures had. The body heat showed it was a large creature but it didn’t care, it was hunting for mice and other rodents. The markings on the snakes body warned others that might wish to try and eat it that it was not a good idea. The snake deciding that being interrupted from its sleep due to the commotion and magic outflow that woke it up would just have to wait. The warm body called to the cold blooded reptile as the chilly air made it sleepy; so it moved and curled up inside the cavity that was formed by the two outstretched limbs and from the way the hot air that shot out, it figured it was near the mouth. The snake coiled up to watch the creature.

It blinked slowly as it began to see and in a way sense that the creature was rousing. It began to move and the reptile prepared in case it attacked. This was a nice spot and the reptile was not going to move. The creature moved a hand and brushed the side of the snake, with lightning reflexes the snake struck, sinking its fangs through the strange fabric and plunging two venom filled fangs into the flesh of the creature. The creature actually jerked awake and looked at the snake as it coiled as if to strike again. The creature grunting through the pain seemed to pull something from his side and the snake used that to strike again, attacking the leg. In a flash of movement from the creature the snake didn’t feel that blow that ended its life. The body flipped a little in the throes of death, but that was it.

The creature took a deep breath as it pulled the sleeve of the outfit to show more of a beige color that were on his hands, he grimaced as he saw the snake bite and he could see that it was already becoming inflamed. He took a deep breath as the pain was spreading from both attack points. He moved, and winched from the pain in the leg. It was then that his ears began to pick up a sound which emanated from the ceiling. He looked up and just stared in wide eyed amazement at the missing roof and the rather large harvest moon in the sky, suddenly four shapes appeared in the moonlight and dove at him, in a moment of panic the creature, whose heart rate had increased curled into a ball to avoid being hurt. The only sounds he heard were clip clop on some kind of hard substance hitting the floor of the room he was in.

He didn’t look up, but he heard something an intake of surprised breath. “A Cobra King snake, did it bite you?” He looked up, these were words, he could speak, but the words that tried to form in his mouth died as his mouth hung open. He was looking at a monster; it looked like some kind of horse, but it was wearing metal armor, the eyes which were looking at him were green reptilian in look and the dull grey body that was not covered in the armor made it look almost… sickly, but the thing that scared him the most was the bat wings. All he could do was make whimpering as the pain had continued to spread. He was unable to speak either and yet, he felt something behind him, he looked behind him and jerked at seeing more of the creatures, he was trying to see all of them but he didn’t know how many of them there were. He then heard another sound, the sound that he decided to try and make a conclusion, the sound of a creature landing, behind him. He turned his head to look at what had landed behind him and he gulped and jerked back in fear, the confusion, the pain, the still sleepy mind combined in a perfect storm that caused the creature to fall back as his eyes rolled to the back of his mind.

Princess Luna was just as taken aback by the look of the creature. She turned her head to the side and looked at the corner of the room, but what had been there when she landed appeared to have fled at her presence, she would have chased it but what concerned her more was what she was seeing. She made a choice at that moment. “Guards, search the room and be careful, I want you to treat this as a crime scene.”

“Princess,” One of the guards spoke. “What are you going to do?” The Pegasus guard motioned with his bat wing. “What do we do with this creature?”

“I will be taking the creature to the Element of Kindness. There is no time to waste, if my eyes do not deceive me, I would say that this creature killed the snake, but,” her eyes spotted the loose sleeve and rose it, and frowned. “He’s been bitten already, we need to get him to the Element of Kindness if we wish to have any knowledge of what happened this creature may be our only lead. when you are done, report to my location and guard this creature with your all, at least till we know if he is a threat or not.” She used her magic to levitate the creature and the body of the snake onto her back, and after a few minutes of pondering, took the strange metal tube contraption that was also on the ground. She looked at the reflective armor that lay under a partially removed robe with a look of worry before she looked back at her guards.

The guard that had been speaking before only nodded his head. “Of Course Princess, we shall start right away.” With those words Princess Luna took off with a dying creature on her back, the dead snake wrapped around the arm of the being for easier movement. She looked down at her guards one last time before she looked back up to the horizon, she flapped her wings once more and was now racing to the edge of the forest and where The Element of Kindness’ cottage was located, she could feel the now labored breathing of the creature on her back, she concentrated and the creature was covered in the aura of her own magic, making sure that it would not fall from her back as she picked up speed.

She soon landed in front of the cottage and saw six ponies standing around. There was a gasp and a butter yellowed colored pony with a long pink mane rushed forward and in low voice asked Princess Luna about the creature. Princess Luna informed the pony of what had happened, the butter yellow pony nodded her head and in a soft voice that it seemed only Luna could hear helped bring the creature into the cottage, leaving five confused Ponies looking at each other before they too moved to the door only to have Princess Luna walk out.

“Please be calm, Fluttershy says that she needs to concentrate if she is to help with the antidote for the snake bite, but she assures us all that if nothing else happens, we might have answers in the morning.” She looked out into the forest. “If you all don’t mind, I think I will stay in Ponyville for a few extra days, this is somewhat worrying.” The last part was more a statement of her own personal thoughts, the five other ponies only respected the privacy of the Princess, and waited with her for Fluttershy to say that they could see this new being.

“You think if its friendly I can throw a welcome to Ponyville and glad you survived that nasty life threatening snake bite and happy you are better now party?” A pink pony with cotton candy looking hair asked in one single breath to the others.

Princess Luna looked at pink pony. “Only if it proves to be friendly and is not a threat to Equestria Pinkie Pie,” She paused a little. “But even then I would think a small party would be acceptable once it makes it.” They all could hear in her voice that she was hoping that what she was saying would come to pass and they wouldn’t loss the only lead she had to what she was beginning to think was a living nightmare. She looked back at the forest with an uneasy feeling, for the first time in her long life, she was actually fearful of the night shadows, and what might now be lurking in the forest. She looked back at Twilight.

“Has, has my sister sent the items yet?” Luna’s voice showed a little worry at what was going to happen, and hoped her sister had done what was needed.

“Yes, We have them stored in Fluttershy’s cottage,” She saw the look on the Princess, one that she had seen on many other’s faces, but not on any of the Princesses before.

“Please,” Princess Luna responded. “Please get all the bearers to put them on, and I shall tell you a tale to pass the time, it may just help incase what I fear is and has come true.” She saw Twilight Sparkles look and stopped the question before it even started. “I shall tell you and everypony at the same time.”

Twilight Sparkle only nodded her head. “As you wish Princess Luna, I shall gather the others, but you might have to tell Fluttershy later.” She waited for Luna to respond.

“Of course Twilight, I shall tell her after this stressful night is over and our, ‘Guest’ has pulled through the worst part.” Princess Luna returned to looking out at the forest.

Twilight Sparkle looked at the forest in concern before trotting off to get the other girls and hear what might be the most interesting story that any of them would hear on a Nightmare Night.

> Order of the Black Sun
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Order of the Black Sun


Princess Luna slowly settled down in front of a campfire that Pinkie Pie had started, she also had passed out sticks and marshmallows.* She was bouncing and looking rather giddy. “I love Ghost Stories well not as much as I love a party OH! Is this a Scary Ghost Story Telling Party While Waiting For The Strange Creature You Brought Back To Wake Up Party?” It was only after she said the mouthful of a party name that she took her first breath during the entire time speaking.

The Princess of the Night smiled a little. Somewhat amazed at how many words could escape in just one breath. “I do not know if you will be hungry after I finish telling thee our tale, as it starts a thousand years ago this very night,” Luna looked into the flames gathering her thoughts and the others leaning in closer. Well all but Pinkie Pie as she began to roast her third Marshmallow already.

“Princess if I may,” Twilight began, “Are you saying that this night is an anniversary of some sort?” The glint in Twilight’s eye amused Luna, that glint of a thirst for Knowledge, or wanting to understand something new, smiling she decided to answer the question.

The answer was a short laugh before Luna began to speak again. “Yes, it seemed my Sister decided to make this night as a personal reminder of what happened, I must admit that she surprised me when I learned there was a holiday just celebrated at night, a thousand years ago, there was nothing.” She held up a hoof. “Now, I must begin and you can ask all the questions thou wish after I have finished my story.” The other ponies around the circle nodded their heads and waited for the story to begin.

“Knowing some of Twilight’s actions from my sister, I would assume she would have told you that I grew jealous of my older sister and how all the ponies would love the sunlight, they would frolic and play under it, but come night time, they would all sleep through my beautiful night. Not seeing my beautiful stars, the artwork that I put up there.” She took a deep breath and let it out as a sigh. “If I knew now, I would never have done what I did next. For you see…” She slowly began to recount her tale as the stars glistened and watched over their Princess and those that helped cleanse her.

Luna slowly followed the Unicorn in front of her, the beating in her own heart to her own ears beating like a snare drum in how loud it was, yet her guide made no indication that he could hear her pounding heart. She looked around herself; they were making their way through and deeper into a cave. The walls were adorned with master works of art, she realized that while some were devoted to the Sun, more of the works of art were depiction of her stars, connected the dots into shapes, and there were also a few statues. She stopped suddenly as if something was watching her. Princess Luna’s eyes falling on one statue, it was unlike anything she saw, it seemed to watch her every step and yet, in the warm light it seemed friendly, then why did she feel so cold looking into the face of this strange Equine statue?

“Come Princess, thou should be proud of what thou are doing for all of thine subjects. Thou art going to bring about a new era of magic and prosperity to thin kingdom, and all shall give thee the due thou deserve.” The Unicorn bowed with a smile as he turned around to encourage the Princess. The Unicorn was dressed in the regal clothing of one of the members of the Royal Court. He was looking at the ground before seeing what she was looking at. “Ah yes, the creature of dreams, it is you that shall bring her to our lands to help all Ponies achieve their dreams.” He smiled wider as the Princess of the Night slowly turned her head away from the statue and looked him in the eye.

“Yes, thou art right, but why must the ceremony be conducted so far away?” She asked as she began to walk forward. She seemed a little nervous to be still going underground.

“My Princess,” he responded. “It is because of the delicacy of this that we must perform it so far away.” He quickened his steps. “We must be quick if we are to arrive at the correct time.” He did not turn back to see what Luna’s response was, but his ears flicked as he heard her hoof steps behind him. With his face away from the Princess he began to grin more as he felt their plans coming finally to fruition, after so many years.

The Princess stopped at an ornate archway carved to look like pillars and a fanciful archway with strange symbols carved into the arch, she looked at the Unicorn who stood on the other side of the archway. “Thank you again my friend. Thank you for, helping me see what I have been blind to see, if what you say is right, then after tonight… my little ponies will know that their Princess of the Night is just as important and their Princess of the Day.” Her voice holding a little bitter tone, but mainly one of sadness of the truths she had been told. She returned the smile her friend gave to her.

She entered a large room with torches flickering around, her hoofs struck the tiled floor that was vibrant with the colors of the night sky with blacks and blues and white dots flecked about the tiles as if it was the night sky itself, she smiled and sighed at the beauty of the room. She looked up and realized with a start that the roof opened to the air above them. Her Moon slowly moving into full view of hole in the ceiling, and without thinking she slowly moved to the center of the room. Before she could register what was happening the milling Unicorns that she had saw upon entering the room closed in on her and began chanting something. But she was amazed, this chamber she realized was, and could be used for star gazing, maybe she could ask her friend if he wouldn’t mind having some of the Royal Star Gazers to use this chamber for some of their studies.

It was nice as suddenly power and feelings of soothing giddiness coursed through her, She looked around at those who had moved to surround her, already they were at work in helping bring about a dream that felt so right, she sighed as many other thoughts drifted through her mind. She didn’t fully notice until later that her limbs were slowly stiffening and becoming heavy, it was when her moon fully slide into view of the hole that Luna jolted as something in her mind that felt similar to a door being slammed shut, at the slam she tried to jump in surprise, her ears heard a deafening silence, yet, she felt no movement in her limbs, she tried to ask what was going on, only to find her lips shut and she found herself unable to move.

Then she heard something, her mouth, speaking. “Good my friends, you have upheld your bargain, and when I have control of the Castle and the other dear Sister, you all shall be rewarded as I promised.” At these words she felt her mind aflame as she felt another presence, one that felt malicious and evil in its desires. She tried to attack it, only to find her mind already a prison cell, she couldn’t touch the creature at all. She tried to scream as in her mind thoughts began to seep into her, along with an continuous chuckle, she felt muscles tense on their own and her mental mind jolted in terror.

She felt her wings moved, she tried to stop it, but she was a prisoner of her own mind, and the walls were already being reinforced, and she could do nothing to stop it, oh how she wished she could have stopped it, but instead her new captor took flight in her body, flying up through the hole and into the night sky, already she could feel this beings natural magic start to twist, and distort her body, along with the hardening of some of the magical mist into some kind of battle armor.

Around the campfire, Luna bowed her head somberly, regret in her eyes, she slowly looked over the eyes of the other Elements of Harmony, who all had their eyes on her. She looked at each one before at Twilight. “Please, can you… tell them what happened next? I know my sister has told thee the story.”

Twilight nodded her head, “As you wish Princess.” She looked at the others of her friends that were currently looking now at her in rapt attention. She had to keep from laughing at Pinkie Pie who had forgotten a Marshmallow in the fire that had turned to a goo glob of blackened sugar. “The battle of the Royal Sisters,” Twilight began with a slight sigh.

“Princess Luna returned to the castle, and kept the… masquerade till the dawn.” Twilight was it appears, using her new knowledge to tell what happened next. “It was not till dawn, when the magic of both were… in transition that the Nightmare struck and refused to lower the moon, vowing to shroud the land into eternal darkness, a battle commenced that, ended when Princess Celestia harnessed the Elements of Harmony and…” She trailed off as the others were repeating her every word.

This lightened the mood and Luna smiled, it seemed the legend had become ingrained into these young mares, but she was not really surprised, they had seen the legend. They had freed her from that monster.

Luna coughed and interrupted. “Thank you, but I think, I think I can take over from here.” her voice cracked a little. “But, there was something my sister did not tell you, the reason why the Nightmare refused to lower the moon, and attacked my sister.”

“Why’s that?” A cyan blue Pegasus asked with a rainbow colored mane and tail, her eyes wide at the story, as if she could just see the intrigue.

“Because Rainbow Dash,” Luna replied with a ghost of a smile. “Even she doesn’t fully know what I do, I was trapped in that mind, and my mind filled with its desires, it hopes, and wishes, I am so happy the Elements put me to sleep for the thousand years. I do not know if I could have remained sane those thousand years otherwise.” She took a deep breath. “What the Nightmare wanted, was to use my power of the night, was to allow another of the Nightmares to enter and possess Celestia, because of her age, and what she controlled, they would have to use…” She stopped and with bitterness switched her sentence midway through. “They all lied to me, they used me to bring about what they hoped was a new order, where no one would be the ruler and all would have untold power, as told to them by the Nightmares, I fear they didn’t care if they were to be hosts to them.” She shivered. “This, group had the enslavement of all Ponydom in mind, all I can say is I am grateful my sister won the battle.” She looked at them. “What… that final moment, what it was like was…” She never finished her sentence.

All five ponies stared at the dying flames and Princess Luna, waiting for her to continue, when a scream pierced the air and all six heads jerked to where it came from. “Fluttershy!” All the Ponies shouted in horror as they raced towards the cottage. Princess Luna easily outpacing the others due to her bigger size, yet she saw a flash of light as Twilight already teleported into the cottage, she just hoped Twilight could handle whatever it was till she got there.

When all the ponies rushed into the main living room, or rather streamed into in a file, so as to not destroy the doorway, they saw Fluttershy shivering in a corner and starring in fear of the shape on the couch. The others looked over and they all took a breath of shock. The creature looked better, but now the face was contorted in pain as a dark aura of magic bleed out from the shape, as if it was now bleeding a thick dark cloud of magic, the air just reeked of evil and terror, even worse than what was present when they fought Nightmare Moon.

Princess Luna right away spread her wings pushing the others back. “Stay back My Little Ponies, I shall handle this.” Her eyes hidden from the others were holding back her own fears as she recognized the magic. She slowly stepped forward her own horn glowing blue, and suddenly it was as if two fires of different colors took battle around the body, one a black almost sinister color, and the other, the color of a deep star filled night, while the two were dark colors, one seemed to emit a sorrowful beauty and agelessness, the other worked hard as it were to consume the night in its own powers. The ponies behind Luna gasped with shock when suddenly Luna collapsed to the ground a look of concentration frozen on her muzzle.

Twilight was the first to speak. “I, I thought it was an old Mare's tale.” She looked at the others and saw their confused expressions. “Luna… Is, there was a legend I read in the Royal Canterlot Library, Luna being in charge of the night, she,” She took a deep breath. “Just entered that creatures mind,” She could feel the dark magic coming from the creature, but at the same time, she could feel Luna’s own magic as the auroras fought for dominance; already it was looking to be a temporary stalemate.  

An Orange tan pony with a Stetson spoke up. “Why would she do that?” the voice asked in a country accent. “Isn’t that a might dangerous? I mean, what if the creature attacks her or is already working with that nightmare?”

Twilight shook her mane. “I doubt the creatures’ less dangerous than what is trying to take control, I think what we are feeling is a Nightmare, and one that is fighting… but why is it fighting? Shouldn’t based on what the Princess say, already be in control?”

Those words caused the others to step back even further into Fluttershy’s cottage, some of them beginning to move into her kitchen. Angel being a brave rabbit moved slowly to stand next to Luna, readying him to attack, all of them watching the strange creature in fear.

*AN: Originally Marshmallows when first invented was Vegetarian.


> Authorization Denied
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

    
Authorization Denied


The Creature blinked as he found himself not in pain from the snake bite. But why was he in some kind of wood cabin? There was an old fashioned TV standing on four metal legs with a bunny ear antenna on the top of it. He could hear noises coming from the set and he slowly inched to it. As he did so, he had to blink in surprise as he saw images. The images he remembered were of old newsreels of World War Two. It started with him seeing the marching of Nazis. The screen then moved to show the attacks of Russian Troops from both sides, he then saw concentration camp footage taken by liberating US Troops. Those images he could remember seeing for the first time in a History Class while in College. He blinked in horror as he stepped back as his ears pick up the sound of chuckling coming from a chair he had not seen before. The TV was now showing colored footage of marching troops and weapons rolling through Moscow streets and Chinese troops and tanks. He began to hear the voice from the chair, dark, cold, and seeming to love the show of military might, of strength and the images of dictators in control, what unnerved him even more was how the voice sounded feminine.

“Oh you humans, your mind is so rich, so much richer for mayhem and destruction than any pony I have seen before, not even a rage filled alicorn could come up with.” As if by cue the screen stopped as air raid sirens sounded and the creature realizing what that sound was dove under a wooden table, not caring if it had always been there or not, he just wanted protection. His actions caused the voice from the chair to laugh, no more of a cackle of glee at seeing the terror that the creature showed. The chuckling continued as the chair moved on its own to view the cowering human creature. All that was seen in the chair was a swirling mass of black that had eyes and a mouth.

“Even you are scared of your own kind.” The TV moved as well as if controlled by some unseen force as the human saw the screen portray a colored video of an above ground test, followed by pictures and images of the after effects of Hiroshima and Nagasaki.

The human stared wide eyed at the creature of dark shadows and fog. It was slowly gaining shape as if becoming a corrupted version of a human, yet it was smoking as if a living shadow. He shivered but then something snapped, a reminder, he looked down and saw the ground had a tattered flag with a square blue field in the upper left corner with a circle of stars and alternating red and white stripes creating the rectangular shape of the flag. He looked up and glared at the monster. He slowly picked up the flag, only to have it shimmer white as it spread over his body.

The creature’s laughing stopped as the human crawled out and stood up from under the table. He was different now, as a huge part of his fear was gone and he was actually daring to glare at it. The Nightmare was curious now, what did it plan on doing, was this how they made deals? Also why did his clothing change? He was wearing a tri corner hat, with a rose typed symbol made out of a white fabric. Over a vest and a shirt, and covering the top of blue britches was a long blue wool coat. It had white edging with brass buttons on the right side. At his sides were what looked to be two white human saddlebags hanging by the white stripes of material crossing his chest. Was this a uniform, she wondered to herself as she had never seen such a strange outfit before.

The human only smiled a little as with a wave of his hand the small TV grew to be a flat screen, a show of the tech he was use to seeing. The Nightmare could only watch as this human in an outdated uniform interacted with technology that never existed in the historical era of the human’s current time period. The screen showed a map of what she felt was his home land. Yet a lot of it seemed unexplored and only the coastal area of land had any type of lines to indicate regions. “You have shown me what my kind can do when they have darkness and cold hearts... let me show you that we are not just evil, but good as well.”

He moved his hand. As he did so, the screen changed to images, paintings and scenes from movies he had seen. “I come from the United States of America, a nation that was as you might put it, born of blood and battle.”

He heard the creature’s pleased chuckle. He turned around and narrowed his eyes. “It was also born from the desire to be free of tyranny and oppression.”

Moving his arm, the map appeared again as it spread further. “Yes we made mistakes, we pushed others out of their lands, but those events were products of their time, events that were made based on thinking of that time, just as I am a product of my own, and those that shall come after me shall not have the lens of living in the moment to study my time as I have studied my nation's history, I do not make excuses for my ancestors, but nor shall I pay their debt that has been paid many times before.”

He smiled. “We were born in the year seventeen seventy six. Two hundred years later, because of allowing such freedoms that would boggle the people of royalty, we became strong enough to help the world.” With those words the screen went back to World War Two videos, this time showing first the attack on Pearl Harbor. Then moving on with other battles. He smiled as he saw images of might, but the Shadow he saw was recoiling, she, or it was feeling that these scenes had a different memory, a different feeling attached to them. “We went into that war to defeat evil, to win against an oppressor that would have brought the world to a new dark age of sorts.” He looked back as if seeing the eager question. However as he spoke, the pictures changed to that of disaster relief pictures, from hurricanes, to more modern pictures of the United States helping in far off places. There were also scenes of modern warfare.

“How much land did we take for our role?” He saw the glint of greed as she nodded her head. “Enough to bury our dead and no more.”

The man looked at the creature. “Americans, and humans, when you cut away the politics, the trappings and feelings of everything, the feelings of, well, the vices, we all just have this one wish, to be left alone in peace, but threaten that, hit us, and we will hit back.”

His voice showed conviction of what he believed in. He was getting a little scared the longer he talked to this creature, this nightmare. The more he talked to her, the more defined and the more she seemed they were sharing. “You want me, you want to take me over and use me like a weapon?”

He stepped forward and his uniform jumped two hundred years forward into the uniform he had been wearing when teleported to this strange place. He raised his rifle.  which had changed from a musket to that of his day and age.“You are not welcomed here, I will fight you with all my power I hold, you shall not use me to plunge worlds into darkness. YOU SHALL LEAVE!”

His voice shook the building and he saw the chair actually fly backwards and through a wall. He looked at the room as it transformed, it was then he realized or was it the creature that told him, he was not sure but he knew his location now in his mind’s landscape, he also had an inkling as to where the enemy was in his mind. He was in his own mind, and the room was changing to fit his need. It still kept the old cabin feel but it was turning into a forward command post. Already copies of his conviction were being formed there, grey shapes beginning to move around. He then saw a map of his mind. He would fight to the bitter end. He was not going to let this monster take him over, he was sure of that. Something from his few moments of being awake seemed to have left something on his mind, as if he had to fight for more than his own world, but why? He shook his head, he still would do his all. He looked to the ceiling, hoping for some extra help. “Battle stations.” he whispered to really himself, already he could hear something like distant gunfire and shells. He wished for a moment he had not watched those old war movies, but the moment was gone and he was once again focused on his defenses.

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Luna looked about her. She had entered the mind of the creature, and to her surprise, it looked like she was in the thickest part of the Everfree Forest. She then saw a small dirt path that was well maintained, even if this was the Everfree Forest. She saw signs that there was a settlement up ahead and wishing to figure out more she began to head towards it. This was confusing her as there had not been any settlements in the Everfree since, she shook her head shaking her astral mane to clear her mind. She was in the creature’s mind, being attacked by the nightmare in his mind, she trailed off as she realized where she might be, she began to trot down the road quickly, hoping against hope that there was still time to save the creature from the monster or could the monster was already cooperating as the land was, she never finished her train of thought as she saw the sign to the town.

“Welcome to Sunny Town.”

The sign was happy and cheerful, but the feelings inside of Luna were anything but. An icy hoof seemed to have clutched her heart and the rest of her body was suddenly pumping ice water. She looked upwards and promptly took to the sky, the quickness of her movement was akin to a small explosion of sound, magic, and feathers. She looked down at the town, horror on her face, this was, this was the town that housed those that create the Nightmare Cult. Yet she could feel fears of something else, as if the town carried emotional weight besides what her own memory said about it. She tore her eyes back to the horizon and almost stumbled in the air as she saw the landscape. She had to focus on something other than that town, the town her sister, she had learned, had to destroy due to what they did not even fifty years after her banishment. To her shock, the landscape she tried to look at was not settling to her mind.

The landscape was torn, it looked like two worlds had been merged together, where the Everfree Forest spread out, it just ended in a jagged line as another landscape showed, it looked like pristine wheat fields with houses in the distance and beyond them a mountain range she had never seen in her life, yet from the creatures mind, she felt  a strange feeling. One word seemed to be emanating around her, Home. She saw with wonder as five metal contraptions few through the sky leaving white trails of smoke as they dove at the land. She quickly realized as she got higher that their was a middle ground, a place of mud, dirt, and battle. She could just sense the feel of battle, yet she could not smell or really hear the full sounds, leaving it muted. She didn’t pause as she saw black shadows of pegasi take off from the forest and from the town that had suddenly turned dark, dreary and falling down. She gulped and promptly sped up, heading towards the transition, as she did so she saw that the monsters trailed off as more metal contraptions that defied her knowledge of flying sped past to engage the monsters that took to the air.

“Attention unknown, you are entering restricted airspace,” a voice commanded in the air. “This is your only warning, either land and surrender or turn around, you have five seconds to comply or we will shot you down.”

Luna could only smirk as she found the original mind, the one that the Nightmare was trying to take control of. She sighed and looked left and right to see two contraptions, their canopies darkened to her gaze to most likely protect the psyche of the one fighting the Nightmare. She, however, could feel eyes watching her. She pointed down a few times and then began her descent at a safe but still fast clip. This seemed to please whoever were flying the flying metal contraptions, but they still kept with her till she was close enough to the ground to be in range of others that were surrounding her. She was landing well into the alien creature's mind, as she could from here see only wheat fields, with the forest a far distance away. Just as she thought, she was far removed from the fighting, she was going to be integrated, or so the mind thought she would be, that was most likely until she proposed to help it. No creature should ever be forced into what she endured those thousand years ago.

She calmly allowed herself to be marched toward the enemy base without a word or giving any troubles. She knew that if the mind attacked her, while no harm would befall her, she would be forced out of the mind and blocked from entering it again. The fight was going, but with how detailed the enemy’s land was. The fighting mind was losing. She could not let that happen. She would not let another fall to what she had to endure.

Luna had to duck as she was led into the cabin. Almost right away her eyes drifted to a Private. His features, while looking the same as the other creatures around, just seemed... more vibrant than the others. She, however, turned to face the commanding officer. She still knew when she saw the Command Structure, even if it was an alien leading it. She spoke. Her voice calm and collected. "Commander."

The Commander looked up, his features the same as those of the creature that had been lying on the couch right before she came to this creature's mind. "Who are you? We detected a breach from beyond our mind and soon you show up on our radar, are you responsible for this breach?"

Luna only nodded her head. "Yes, but I rather not speak to a figment, I would rather speak to the real mind, directly." Her gaze rolling across the room, showing that she knew just who she was talking to. The Commander actually froze and seemed to just stand there but it was enough for her to tell she was talking to a figment. "Really well done, impressive mental powers. I take it you are a dreamer?"

The Private who had been standing in the corner as if listening to a superior officer’s orders sheepishly stepped forward as the Commander went back to battling, yet to Luna the noise vanished to a background buzz. "Yes, I am a dreamer, I take it.." he stopped but nodded his head. "How can I trust you? That you are not a trick by the Nightmare?"

Luna only smiled and looked at the wall and a map, "Because if I was the Nightmare, I wouldn't be talking to you, I would have attacked you right away." She also seemed to have a twinkle in her eye. “Also, I see you know a bit more then you let on, you appear rather sharp to have lasted this long against the Nightmare.”

The mind she was talking to only nodded. "Yes, yes, I see that is indeed a Nightmare's SOP, still... why help me?" His voice cracked, showing real concern and real worry. He also had a hint of fear in his voice.

Luna continued to smirk, yet while others would say it was one that unsettled most Ponies, she found the human to be enjoying her smirk. "Because I know how to drive the Nightmare from your mind, it will require your utmost cooperation with me, do you trust me?"    

Her voice showing concern for being trusted. She had also switched the train of thought at the last minute, still a little worried about telling all the truth to this human all at once, she was realizing she was seeing reports on the table that was giving her these insights, this creature, this human, was giving her hints into who he was, and since it was all in the mind, it was more of concepts instead of real spoken language.

The Mind only paused to think about the answer, it seemed like an eternity to both parties as if he was weighing all options before him, finally he took a breath and answered the question. "Yes, I trust you, I trust you to even take the reigns if needed."

Luna actually smiled, a real happy smile at the progress that was happening, but she knew it might be born of desperation, the map that seemed to be blurred out was showing the battle progression and she realized, the mind was losing the fight, it was making the nightmare fight for every inch, but it still was going to win. She knew what she had to do, but she didn’t like it very much. "I was actually going to ask that of you, but since you agreed, please be warned this might tingle or hurt, I, I never have had this done, but it should help."

The human only nodded his head and with those words Luna leaned forward and placed her horn on his forehead. He blinked as a warmth spread through his body, it felt good and he felt happy, he could feel pressure as if something was pushing him to the back and he willingly stepped backwards, but as he did so it felt like something was happening, he was in a different plane now and he saw Luna’s figure with a strange aura around her body, he suddenly saw the night blue color begin to his eyes bleed towards him, as he saw another color of the red of his nation's flag begin to bleed towards Luna, and his eyes widened, as he realized knowledge was flowing into his mind.

He also realized knowledge was being copied and sent over to Luna. He gulped but realized that he couldn’t stop it, and this worried him greatly. He didn’t know just want knowledge was going towards her, but what was going to him was many emotions and memories he couldn’t fully process them, from feeling trapped to seeing disasters created by the Nightmares, he also began to realize he was sharing what the Nightmare had told him, and in exchange he was learning more about the Nightmares from one that had been under their power. He smiled as slowly their combined knowledge began to push back the encroaching tide of darkness.

Meanwhile on the side of Luna, she was gathering her own information. After all  the Human was unable to truly keep her out, and she had to make sure he was no threat to her sister and her’s kingdom. She was slowly gathering the information for digesting later. She was pulling memories of his nation, his country, how people usually acted, and memories of his life to just see what he was, and what threat he could be without the nightmare. She could tell almost from the start that the red was not a bad thing, but a color of his homeland’s flag, the red of sacrifice she gathered from his mind. She would have to look into this at a later point in time. Still, now was not the time to get distracted, she had to focus to make sure that their minds succeeded in their fight.

For a moment, the two minds were combined, and at that moment there was a blast of immense energy and the Nightmare that both combined minds were able to sense was pushed back further and further and then suddenly it seemed to solidify for a moment but then the wall fell but found nothing behind the wall of darkness. There was a cry of anger that sounded all around the mind, and then the two minds separated.

Yet in that moment, memories swapped and while one human relived the moments of life alone on the moon for a thousand years and having to fight an Alicorn who was also his sister, and feeling the pains of being taken over by the Nightmare a thousand years ago. Princess Luna was going through her own wild ride, from seeing just what the Nightmare said to him before she entered, to the history of his world, but the one thing that shook her to the core almost and finally led to her breaking the mind connection at the soonest possible moment was the images of what she learned from the memories were a TV show. She stared at the unmoving form of the human mind as it slowly began to realize that he was not an Alicorn, nor was he trapped but in his own mind. While these were happening Princess Luna was trying to process fully just what she was seeing, a human, that had a loose grasp of their world, a loss understanding of the most current few years. She made sure that the human mind would recover before leaving the mind. She had much to think about.

---------------------------------------------------

Back in the real waking world of Fluttershy’s cottage, the group of huddled ponies that represented the Elements of Harmony jolted and froze as they saw the darkness gathered into a glob over the forehead of the creature, and promptly shot off, breaking the main window of the cottage in its bid to escape. Moments later Princess Luna opened her eyes and quickly stood up, only to be taken aback when all six ponies swarmed her with questions and worry. Princess Luna brushed them off with both words and opening her wings a little. They backed away as she began to step towards the doorway. “I need to go gather the candy that the fillies and colts left  at the Nightmare’s statue.” She looked at the two guards standing in front of the cottage. “No one is to enter or leave the cottage until I get back.” She took to the sky as the night of Nightmare Night still moved forward.

“Understood, your highness.” came the words of her guard, she nodded her head, opened her wings and took to the sky, she had to clear her mind and, plan a course of action to talk to this human alone to find out more about this, odd development. She also decided to take a page out of her sister's book, and use some sugar to release the sudden increase of stress.

The six ponies all stood around and looked at the clock, the clock read twelve ten; it was ten minutes past midnight and all of them were on edge, it didn’t help that Fluttershy saw the creature stir, and had to be gently coaxed away by the guards as she raced to try and make sure that nothing was wrong. Everypony was relieved  to see the last of the dark aura bleed away from the body. A few of the others just stared in amazement as Fluttershy actually stared down the guards as the creature in its sleep, turned and coughed, the sound of something liquid in the cough unnerved them, but it still seemed that the creature was not waking up. This concerned Fluttershy who was once again back to tending the being to the best of her abilities, cooing and speaking like a mother to a small baby. It was moving about and seemed to be doing its best to wake up. Twilight moved back a little shocked, while Applejack glared at Pinkie Pie who had bounced closer to the creature, and almost getting in the way of Fluttershy. Applejack had to use a tactic she usually reserved for Rainbow Dash, pulled her back by her tail.

Rainbow Dash had taken to the air and was looking like she was going to pummel the creature at even the slightest sign of hostilities.

Rarity was sniffing in disdain, “Honestly,” her voice breaking the silence. “how can such a creature wear such horrendous clothing? I mean really.” She did pause, “Though, in its own rights, this, creature could be simply amazing. Look at the fabric amount they wear, I wonder if I could...”

“Now,” Applejack interjected, “Don’t go counting your eggs before they hatch there. What if this thing is dangerous, sugarcube? Besides, Fluttershy looks like she is needing something, why don’t you be a dear and calm Angel down?” She looked towards the stairs and the Rabbit agitated not from fright, but from attacking the creature in Fluttershy's and his couch.

Rarity sniffed a little but nodded her head. “Very well, I shall go see if I can calm the poor dear down.” She turned around and trotted away and up the stairs, leaving some of the more, rambunctious ponies behind to take care of the creature. Pinkie had by this time slipped away from AJ, and was now hopping in one place looking down so that when the creature would open its eyes, it would see her smiling happy face, after all, everypony likes a smile, why shouldn’t this strange creature? Also amazingly enough, she was staying out of Fluttershy’s way.

Princess Luna smiled as the Children around the statue were laughing and giggling from her scary impression, however she feared it was a little more realistic than she had liked, being so close to a Nightmare again had allowed her to, in a way, better create her corrupted form, the fillies and colts however liked it, so no harm done. She did like the candy she gathered and knew a bit would be going to her guards as a bonus for wearing their costume armor. Still there was that creature, that human that was in the back of her mind, and just what it knew, and now, what she knew, he would have a lot to talk about when it came time to sit down and talk, if the human wanted to talk, she almost thought could talk. She took to the sky as her moon slowly sailed on its natural order and course. She quickly and silently returned to the cottage, she stashed the candy in the royal carriage and moved to the inside of the cabin. The inside inhabitants were all sleeping, even the human and so she slowly moved to the window to think, many thoughts raced through her mind, many things that she would have to wait for the human to wake to be able to answer them, she quickly realized that the time was slipping away and she was a few seconds late for starting the process of lowering the moon, she looked to the sky and found the moon through the window and closed her eyes as the moon lowered from her magic. As the sky began to slowly lighten and grow colder before the dawn, she lapsed into personal musings.

Behind her, the human began to stir.
> Interrogation
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------


Interrogation


The creature, the human, slowly opened his eyes, his mind was still foggy from the events in his dreamscape. He had the gut feeling that those scenes and images were not any normal dream. He quickly opened his eyes fully and sat up to try and look around. The first thing he noticed was that he was without either a shirt or undershirt. He quickly looked around to see a puzzle of images on a shirt. He shook his head, no that was his Camo blouse, However it took a few more moments then normal to process the information. Still, he moved to his blouse and tan undershirt to put them back on. To only freeze as his eyes met the stare of the creature from his dream.This creature that was in his dream. But he also knew this creature from before the night.

“Get dressed and walk with me, human. We have much to discuss.” Her words showed that he  had no argument with the princess. He silently got ready, and while he was still looking around, he could see the sleeping forms of ponies, but there was a question. A question that it seemed Luna was reading on his face.

“They are protecting a perimeter. I am going to be the one interrogating you, so you have no need to worry about any of them jumping you, though I have many tools at my own disposal if you choose to be... uncooperative.”  The slow and icy tone sent shivers down the human’s spine as he quickly crawled off of the couch only to have his boots levitated to him in a pale blue aurora. He barely acknowledged her help and after tying the shoes and tucking the shoe laces inside the boots, he began to creep out the door with Luna right behind him, he could feel the horn pushing lightly on his back. Almost in instinct he placed his hands upon his head and locked the fingers together.

“May I say that from my world I would be treated under-” He felt a bit more pressure at his back and he quickly quieted down he knew and could feel that this creature could pierce his back with a thrust.

“I know about your Geneva Convention, But if I recall Equestria is not a signer of the conventions.” Those words made the human more nervous and scared. That is until her next words came out. “However I shall treat you as I would treat a POW in Equestrian terms, though the diet might be a little rough on you.”

The human only nodded slightly, as the Princess of the Night slowly led him towards the end of the field and close to the Everfree Forest. “Sit,” she commanded as they reached a fallen tree, realizing that he was to sit on said log. The human slowly sat down and now looked at the alicorn, from his new angle and view point he was terrified of her. Yet the steel in her eyes softened a touch at the next words. “I am sorry your mind had to see those nightmares, I, I saw some of them as well, the war and destruction of your world. The march of boots to the cries of a tyrant.” Her eyes flashed with a bit of magic. “The sweet nectar of poisoned words.” She shook her mane as she returned to her steely appraising look that made the human think to how she was looking at Twilight, she was judging him he felt, sizing him up for something. Suddenly the Princess sat down in front of him and continued to look at him. “Tell me about Friendship is Magic, I saw those in your memory, tell me your context, your side of these memories.” Her voice hard and angry now. “I am here to protect my kingdom during the night, if it was daytime, my sister Princess Celestia of the Sun and Day would be asking the same things, so answer now.”

The human shivered, not just because of the temperature falling right before dawn, but because also of the fear he had, he made one observation, when an alicorn wanted something, they could be downright scary in getting what they want. He swallowed a little only to realize how dry his throat was and that it hurt a little bit. Still he spoke forward. “You have the memories why do I need to tell you?”

“Because,” Luna replied actually raising one corner of her mouth for a second before returning to the stoic stern gaze, it seemed the question amused her a little. “They are just that, memories, I can get gist of emotions, but nothing too concrete, it would be like...” She leaned in and whispered the next few words. “To the moon.” His first reaction was that those were not the words his sister used when she banished him for being nightmare moon. But before he could question anything else he felt just a strong emotion of loneliness and anger, but really all he could see were rocks and more rocks.

He did not even acknowledge his surroundings until he felt something hard knock his chest a little, in surprise he fell back off the log but never hit the ground as he felt an invisible force wrap around his entire body and rebalanced him upon the log again.

“As you can see, the memories, and the stronger emotions affiliated with them can disorientate those that are not used to sharing them, even then,” She paused and saw the human swallow again and lick his lips, she widened her eyes. “Oh my, yes, Fluttershy did say you would be dehydrated, please excuse my-”

This time the human actually interrupted the Princess, “Nah, you're fine, you needed the information and you are trying to ascertain my threat level;, safety of your people can and should come before my comfort.” Though it didn’t mean he wouldn’t refuse water, as he was very thirsty after all, but it didn’t matter, he was a POW. He paused and blinked in confusion a few times in a row. The reason being that a nice water jug was hovering in front of him ready for him to take. 

“Uh, thank you?” The human muttered.

“You’re welcome; Like I said, Equestrian POW rules, be nice, and if they cooperate, continue to be nice, only get touchy if they start to avoid questions or lying, and I can tell when somepony is lying.” Her voice once again dipping into that ice cold tone that gave most anything shivers.

He nodded his head and slowly drank the water, he was shocked in how sweet, how clean it tasted. It was even better than filtered water. He slowly looked at Luna and motioned for her to continue with her explanation on why he had to answer her questions.

“Yes, as I was saying you are in need of answering them to allow your perspective to handle these memories, you are the key to them as I am the key to your new ones. But do not think I will give a trade of one to one.”

The human only nodded his head. “Well if you missed my name, I am William Howard, I did two years of ROTC, but you want to know about the show, about My Little Pony Friendship is Magic.” His voice showing it was a statement, he continued forward. He spent the next few hours explaining about the show, and the fans and how those that were fans were trying to improve their world and trying to be friends to all and tolerate those around them. Still with the questions, and the discussions, things began to wind down. Soon the only thing that was left for either one to talk about, was either William’s access to some of Princess Luna’s memories around her becoming Nightmare Moon or the big problem. William decided to tackle the bigger of the problems.

“So, what do we do with myself? I am a threat, and I can still...” he shivered a little. “I can still feel the residue of those Nightmares, I do not know if I am being paranoid or what, but I am just worried.” William admitted to both himself and to the Princess, he looked up, only to realized that Luna was more focused on the night sky at the moment, but he couldn’t blame her, she was lowering the moon. He blinked once before it clicked in his mind and he sat even more upright as he watched in rapt attention. He was watching the lowering of the moon, in person. With a bit of an inner squee he just remained silent outwards to not disturb Luna.

Luna’s head moved as if listening to a silent hidden tune as he just watched, he jumped a little when suddenly she spread her wings out and slowly rose into the sky, her hoofs moving now as if to direct a soft moving piece of music as she worked, William began to see the stars fade from the heavens and the moon dip below the horizon. A few moments later Princess Luna slowly set back upon the earth and slowly opened her eyes heaving a breath of joy. Her smile slowly faded as her eyes focused on the stunned look on William's face. “Cadet Captain-”

“Please I never was a Cadet Captain, the nightmares created this uniform, not me.” William interrupted the Princess yet again, William realized that and looked nervous till Luna smirked and chuckled a little.

“Thank you, but you are wearing that uniform, and as the only human representative, and how much you respect that uniform, I am hereby declaring you a representative of your world and your military, no matter how little you know. It would be much, much easier on you if you just go with the flow here for the moment," She softly smiled at William before continuing. "At least till we can get you tailored some more normal clothing.” Her face grew solemn as she looked at William. “To answer what we do with thee? We shall have to take thee to our sister to get her input, though I can see thou hast an idea of what to do?”

William looked at Luna, his face devoid of emotion as he looked around the edge of the forest and the growing light. “I had a thought, a plan if needed, since those Nightmares are after me, and I am a priority target to control two worlds.” he motioned his head back towards the cabin. “As you might have seen, there is weapon on me, you can use it and-”

Luna stopped him by holding up a hoof and silencing him with a glare. “I admire one who will be willing to give one’s life if it means saving billions of lives,” She looked a little distant as her eyes widened. “So many humans living on your planet, you are as a race, very prolific in growing.” She shook her head to get back on track. “Still, I will refuse from ending your life so quickly, there has to be another way, a means to make you not so,” Her eyes widened and a smirk grew on her muzzle. “Yes, but that would require my sister’s help as well.” She looked back towards the cottage. “Return with me human, William, we shall see about keeping you safe till we get you in front of my sister so we can decide what to do, I need you to know that we may go your path if it is best for our ponies.” Her face fell as they started the walk back to Fluttershy’s cottage. 

“What worries me is, if we kill you, the Nightmares will only work on perfecting their spells and get what they truly want next time, at the moment you are the route of least resistance and they will go after you first before going through another long age of gathering recruits for their deeds.” Her words hung in the air as they continued to walk towards the cottage, the daylight growing and giving the shadows nowhere to flee and be destroyed, the air also began to slowly warm up.

William stopped in shock as it finally hit him. He was standing on grass and dirt of another planet, he was, he really was first contact. He closed his eyes and wrapped his arms around him as it was finally hitting him that he was alone in this world, a creature of horror most likely to those around him or curiosity. He also just realized finally and fully that he had been talking to the one half of the two most powerful beings in this region of the planet. He didn’t realize that Luna had wrapped him in a levitation spell and continued to carry him forward. It was not until a small meek voice slowly slipped into his mind that he noticed he was in a different location.

He slowly began to focus on his surrounding, he did as the voice asked to do a few standard medical check up procedures, raising an arm, or holding his breath. He just was in shock as he realized what room he was in. There were nests and burrows and holes in the wall, and he could feel the eyes of many different creatures looking on, he was actually surprised when a mouse scurried up and sniffed his boot before darting away as it realized that he had spotted it, for wild animals they seemed to be acting rather tame, but then again he realized that he was dealing with Fluttershy. She would attack bears in a unique chiropractic technique. So with bears around, he guessed that they just saw him as a strange bear or something. Still it wasn’t until he felt a hoof on his forehead. He slowly looked to who was touching his forehead, it seemed that Fluttershy was trying to check his temperature and could only smile, making sure not to show teeth. “Uh, hello.”

This caused gasps, a purple unicorn that he recognized as Twilight Sparkle tried to move in, but was kept at bay with Princess Luna, it still didn’t keep the questions from flowing. “He knows Equestrian? But how? I never seen him in any of my books not even my myth books.” She looked at Luna and then back at the creature. But Luna quickly preempted any more questions. By answering a few already.

“First off Twilight Sparkle,” she began, and then looked at the other Ponies in the room, both the Mane Six and the guards that she saw were staring the human down as if daring him to make a wrong move, “He is called a Human, and he comes from another dimension so of course you won’t find his species in any of your books.” She looked a little guilty here, “As for speaking Equestrian, it is because of the exchanges, you see, by him and I interacting we had to keep harmony of mind, so he knows Equestrian, just as I know his native language.” She chuckled and spoke before Twilight could ask. “Yes, I will teach you a little about their language, just please don’t scare him, he is after all, the ONLY one in this world.” This caused Fluttershy to gasp and to the shock of her friends seemed to hug the human.

“Oh you poor thing, no one should be alone, if you have no where to stay you can have the couch till we find you a place to stay. I am sure AppleJack could help.” Her sideways look was one of pleading to have her help the poor creature.

Luna only chuckled a little. “Actually, he needs to be coming back to Canterlot with me.” The looks from Fluttershy made Luna to smile a little, it was what she was looking for. “However I would not be opposed if the Elements of Harmony would accompany me and William back to the castle, in fact I think My Sister and I would be more at ease if you were to be there, just in case.”

These words caused one marshmallow white unicorn pony to squeal in joy, another purple unicorn one to grin and hop around at the prospect of meeting with her mentor again. A Pink Pony to hop around with joy and talking about all the treats and fun she will have at Canterlot. The cyan blue pegasus made a meh sound while two ponies seemed reluctant but still willing to go and fulfill their duty to their Princesses. The human just sat there dumbly as he watched Rarity, Twilight Sparkle, Pinkie Pie, Rainbow Dash, Applejack and Fluttershy all react to the news of going to the seat of power, the Capital city of Equestria.

Twilight Sparkle to his shock was now looking right into his face. “Your name is William?” She tilted her head to the left. “What a peculiar name, but I guess from where you are, it is not so strange?” Her eyes he could see were wanting answers and William saw no problem in answering one question.

“Actually you are correct, in my world, my name is not that strange, whereas, to you all, names like Luna, Twilight Sparkle, Applejack.” He was interrupted by Applejack who was giving him a strange look with her eyes.

“How ya were able to know our names? I don’t recall ever mentioning my name in front of ya.” Her voice and body language was one of accusation and wanting to know the truth of the matter, before William could answer it was Luna who answered.

“I am sorry, but it is my fault, he learned your names in exchange for me learning about their world’s most powerful weapon.” William knew she was lying but the other Ponies were only nodding their heads and Applejack blushed a little and took her stetson off her head.

“Sorry bout that Princess.” She apologized in her southern accent, “I guess I got a bit weirded out that some new creature,” She paused at the glares from Fluttershy, Luna, and Twilight Sparkle. “Human,” she quickly corrected herself. “how a human knew our names, I didn’t think that he learned it from the Princess.”

William only chuckled. “No need to worry, you just looking out for your friends is all I think.” He sighed and looked around the room and while the others around him moved into conversations Twilight moved once again to stand in front of him, she made a sound of clearing her throat and she had quill and parchment out with what he thought were notes already on it. “Oh yeah, to finish my sentence, your names while common and not very strange for you all, would, well the parents would be looked upon funny for naming a child that.” He chuckled as that was truth as well, still the guards were getting antsy. “Uh, you all should get ready, I think I’ll step out with some of the guards, as I think they don’t like me being too close to all of you.”

Before Luna could protest the Pegasus guards literally leaped at the chance to, first get out of the cottage, and second finally have a good secured ring between the alien and seven of the most important ponies in all of Equestria. He was escorted out into the backyard and was more or less ordered to sit on one of the chairs at a table, it was built for a Pony so it was a tad strange to sit on it like humans normally do, but he made it work, and still be comfortable. “Okay,” William spoke as the guards moved around but could all hear him. “What do you have against me? Don’t worry, I from what your Princess has told me, I am a POW, I promise that I will not try to escape, after all, I can’t return to my homeland at all, so why waste my energy in futile...” His voice cracked and he had to bow his head to try and stop the tears or at least hide them. William did laugh a little. “Besides I feel safer with those spears then fearing for my life from Nightmares.” His voice making a sound of a harsh laugh as if trying to make a joke at his own expense.

He heard a rap on the table that caused him to jerk up to look into the eyes of one who had seen stuff he felt, he also had a different type of Armor. “You will maintain a level head, you will also sit there while I tell you, just why you are making us all on edge.” William only gulped and remained frozen in his chair, he felt that some of this was because of outside actions of the Pegasus but he didn’t dare test any of this.

“You,” Began the leader of the troop William figured, the Pegasus guard that was talking pointed a hoof at him.“Are a threat to Equestria, the nightmares that took our princess those thousand years ago have returned and wish to use you as a weapon, frankly while the Princess is doing something I do not fully understand, if it was up to me, I would have you snuck away and placed into the deepest cavern in Canterlot Castle and hide away for the rest of your life.” The Pegasus guards all looked at William wondering what he would do. They did not expect his answer.

“I would serve in that Cavern for all my days if it means protecting, YOUR World.” he made sure they heard that word. “And Mine! You think your world is the only one under threat? Mine is as well, and, I would gladly be imprisoned if it meant that two worlds could be saved.” He smiled and looked around. “Your world is too beautiful not to defend, and so is my world, I am as much a guest now of this land, even if not by choice, so please note that I would do everything I could to make sure that these nightmares can never do what they did to your Princess.”

Another pegasus looked at him with a look of disdain. “Just what gives you a right to even attempt to know what our Princess went through with the Nightmare?” This one had taken to the air to glare right into Williams eyes, instead of backing down William narrowed his own eyes and looked back, a staring contest happening while William answered the question.

“Because I almost lost the battle against the Nightmare, if it was not for your Princess you would have been fighting a possessed human that might have been able to utilize Magic.” There were confused looks, “Yes, you know my secret, I cannot use Magic, a lot was told to me while in my dream world, trapped.” He returned in full attention to the pegasus who had challenged him. “So, I may not know all about, but I sure as heck went through something similar.” He blinked as he shielded back in shock as he shivered suddenly, his eyes and mind remembering the smiling black skeleton of a horse that almost appeared at the back of the woods. “NIGHT!” he yelled before just as suddenly it was gone. He yell and reaction at the forest edge did send some of the guards to the edge and Luna teleporting into the meadow with her horn already glowing, ready for battle. She did however relax and slowly took a deep breath, held it, and then let it go.

“Guards, form up and escort the Element Bearers on my chariot, I shall be teleporting myself and our guest.” She stopped any protests, “I will not call him a prisoner at this time. He has proved himself by his actions, even those out here that he can be offered a hoof of at least our respect at this moment.” Her eyes conveyed that there was to be no arguments.

The pegasus that started the entire conversation only saluted and promptly began to issue orders to the others, soon leaving the two alone. Princess Luna looked at William. “Before we go, please note that while you are in the castle and nopony is around, you shall call me Princess, elsewhere you shall call me Princess Luna. Do you understand?”

William only nodded his head slightly. “As you wish Princess.” His words full of respect for her, “I shall be ready, but shouldn’t I get something to eat?”

“Not until you arrive at the castle, I rather not risk you throwing it all up from your teleport spell experience, so you can eat after we arrive at the castle, also my sister has cleared her schedule for you, due to the rather, unique problem you present to our kingdom.” she bowed her head and touched her horn to his forehead. “Also, I must say, what a smart thing to do, allowing my guards to get their words to you, and answering their concerns in your,” here she smiled softly, “Unique way. Now, close your eyes, and don’t move, I am going to teleport us.”

William swallowed hard, closing his eyes and stilling his breathing, he felt a tightness, then a lightness and his body floating all around his mind, and so he began to feel just queasy. Just as suddenly the feelings took hold they were done and he was glad he had not eaten, as he doubted he could have kept it down. The next few moments with his eyes closed he dried heaved. Still he felt like he was going to fall over, and it was then he realized that maybe being on all fours would have been a lot better, still he felt a nudge and Luna’s voice.

“Please open your eyes, and render a salute, as your people do not bow.” Her voice urgent and soft to where he felt he could only hear her. He slowly opened his eyes and realizing just where he was, quickly moved to the stance of an American Attention and rendered a salute. For staring down at him from her throne at the end of a red carpet with stain glass windows on either side, and whose throne was set upon the top of a platform with two fountains of water on either edge, and staring at him as if trying to bore right into his very soul was the second half of the Co-Rulers of Equestria. Princess Celestia.

With a cold, calculating look, Princess Luna stepped away from his side and looking at him like she did with Twilight Sparkle in the Crystal Empire episode, walked to stand next to her sister, the guards at the bottom of the stairs stared at him, both of them unicorns and more than likely capable of taking care of him in two steps if he did anything. While he watched, Princess Celestia nodded her regale head and William dropped his salute, but remained at attention.

Luna was the one to break the tension. “At rest, I need to confer with my sister, so just, stay put.” Her grin showed she was trying to make William more at ease, and while he went to stand at rest, Luna moved her head and the two alicorns touched horns and as he watched energies flowed from the horns and for a moment he thought he saw his own aura from when he was in his dream battle flow from Luna into Celestia’s horn. This he felt would take a while.

He let his eyes wander around the room and the stained glassed windows. He noticed images, from the Elements of Harmony’s first use by the Mane Six, followed by Discord’s defeat, then came what had to be the Royal Wedding, with two ponies creating a heart with their horns touching, finally, he saw the stained glass window of Spike saving the Crystal Empire. Before he could try and find more pictures to decipher or look at, his attention was drawn back to the throne. Princess Celestia was staring at him. What made this a little more scary was that the way she glared at him was similar to how Twilight would imagine her when she got mad and disappointed in her, yet he was going to fully accept anything including banishment and then being jailed in the place he was to be banished. He just waited for the words to be spoken towards and or against him.
> Royal Inspections
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

   
 Royal Inspections


The stare from Princess Celestia seemed to dig deeper and deeper into his soul. The two unicorn guards remained motionless as they stood watch between the human and the two Princesses. Just when the tension seemed to be ready to break all sanity, Celestia spoke. “William Howard, while it is true you are here by forces outside of your control, you are still here, a invader of my lands, a pawn in the claws of the Nightmare.” Her face seemed to harden more. “You are a threat to my world, and as you have stated to those who would listen, your world as well.”

William blinked and used that moment to try and judge Luna’s expression, which he realized mirrored Celestia’s own. He quickly returned to full focus on Celestia. He felt nervous now. What was she going to do with him, he wondered.

“Now, my sister has told me that you were willing to sacrifice your life for our world, but I cannot allow that, this would only cause any remaining members of the cult that brought you here to work on bringing out another human to my world, and the next one might not be so opposed to the power the Nightmare wishes to grant.” She narrowed her eyes. “So that leaves me with having to keep you in my kingdom, but I do not know what to do past that, so until we can come to a choice we can all live with, you shall stay in the castle, and only the castle. If you wish to leave the walls, even into our gardens, either I or my sister must be with you, so as to fend off any Nightmares that will hunt for you. My sister did inform me that you were also tagged by the  Nightmares. So enjoy your golden cage until we can learn more.” Here face finally softened with pain and sorrow. “You will be treated as if you were one of my little ponies, but still, a cage is a cage.” She looked at her sister. “Please escort our guest to the private study, I am sure you will love to see just what it is that our... guest had brought with him, thanks to the Nightmare.”

William knew that Celestia was using the word to try and keep him calm, but they all knew that he was really a caged animal. He thought about a domesticated feline, he just hoped he didn’t make a mess with anything.

Luna only nodded her head and with the same stern gaze, stepped down the stairs with a jerk of her head that told William follow behind her out a side door and into a more private part of the castle. He figured it was for more personal use. As he left the throne room, he thought he heard the words being called out that the Elements of Harmony were on their way, but he couldn’t linger and had to keep following Luna. He was dividing his attention trying to focus on many things and not looking where he was going, accidently walking right into the back end of Princess Luna who instead of kicking, did something he felt was worse. She grabbed him with her magic, teleported him so she could glare at the one who walked into her, as her rear leg did kick out to attack whoever it was behind. Still, William realized he was faced with a very angry Princess who was keeping him from doing his own instinctual action, covering his face and cowering in front of a creature more powerful than he. However the moment of instincts was quickly past. They just stared at each other.

Luna finally broke the silence, “How are you enjoying the castle’s architecture? I hope it meets your discerning eye.” the voice Luna used he felt was doing its best to hide something, but what was it? He sure didn’t know, so he didn’t focus much at the moment.

“Yes, along with what must have been historical events, and I am rather fascinated,” here he realized his head drifted to a peculiar sight, a row of empty armor lining the hallway, he always wondered why empty armor was lining hallways in old castles. He could understand a museum, but a working, functioning castle? He didn’t realize he had trailed off in his sentence.

“Oh that, Celestia kind of uses them as...” here her face scrunched up as if trying to think of a way to describe it in a way William would get it on the first time. “OH!” she shouted, using half the volume of the Royal Canterlot Voice. “It’s like retired jerseys from your sports teams, only with guards that she felt should be remembered far after they retired.” Her voice returning to a normal tone of speaking.

William blinked as he had a moment where he had a thought of why did she know about our sports teams, that was before remembering that she had looked into his mind, just as he now knew the history of his current fascination with the empty suit of armor this guard was in memory of was one that fought, with a mighty shake of his head he cleared his mind as he felt himself be carried through the doorway and into what he realized and felt was the study that Celestia mentioned. Or so he thought until he noticed the decor of the room.

The room was not what what he really expected. For one thing, instead of a motif of both suns and moons and a mix of different colors to show that it was a shared room, he saw mostly the shapes of the moon in different phases, dark blues and violets. Shades that showed more of a nighttime shade. However at the same time, the room seemed to be as bright as a light filled room. The soft light seemed warm and inviting, but not overly hot as well. He looked at Luna in confusion.

“She said to take you to one of the studies, it is just that this is the study that I had your gear stored in the castle, now then, while you watch, I shall take out the items and you can tell me what they are so I can record them on a scroll. Is that good?” She didn’t even wait as she cheerfully trotted to a large table where his stuff was placed on it. “Good. Let’s begin.” Her horn glowed as she slowly opened the top flap of the ruck sack.

William slowly moved to the bundle and shook his head as Luna stepped aside. “As this is your stuff,” She began, “I think I shall let you take them out, just in case,” he realized she had stopped in her eagerness as if suddenly weighing something new she thought of.

“Just in case,” William started where Luna left off. “Just in case, this is set to do things unpleasant if someone or somepony other then I remove items.” he got a nod from Luna and sighing he moved to first undo the rolled bundle at the bottom of the rucksack. The first thing was to pull out the metal contraption stuck into the rolled fabric’s middle. “This,” he began, “Is an M16A2.” he paused as he closely inspected it. “Odd, it has the property of US Army, but no serial numbers, or identification numbers.” His face grew worried. “What we have here is an untraceable weapon without any numbers to show where it was made. I would guess magical construct then based on my memory of a standard infantry weapon.”

“Standard?” Luna started before her gaze shifted into nothingness. William realized that must have been how he looked when he started remembering about the suits of armor in the hallway. Before he could poke Luna she seemed to come out of it. “Your people have come a long way in weapon development.” Her voice showing sorrow and fear at just what humanity had gone through.

William only nodded his head. “Indeed, now,” here he moved to start empty the pouches on his vest. “This is called a Moll-e vest, it is,” he paused as he realized why he never really focused on it. It was in the puzzle schematics, he shook his head. “This pattern is what we refer to as a Army Combat Uniform, or ACU’s for short, you seem to call them Puzzle outfits.”

This made Luna to laugh a little in embarrassment. “Hey, don’t worry, you didn’t know what it was and you were trying to describe it in your vocab, anyway, where did you find the vest?” He realized he couldn’t remember wearing it at all till that moment. It was mainly straps, with two large front front covers with a lot of loops where other pouches could be fitted onto it in a mesh type manner, and it looked like he was loaded out with a lot of them. Also, all of them seemed to be in use.

“Wrapped around the pack, I saw that it was some kind of outerwear so I just put it on you while you were disoriented after the teleportation spell.” her words and body language showed William that she thought it was a funny prank to pull on him.

“Thank you. Anyway, let’s see.” He began to open the pouches, three of them were ammunition pouches for his rifle. “Let’s see, two magazines per pouch, so that is six, plus the one in the chamber,” he paused and looked at Luna. “You need to secure these, they can be rather dangerous.”

Luna nodded her head, “I know, I have been in your mind, I know the damage they can have, thankfully our guards armor is protected by a magical field, I doubt a normal bullet could harm them.” They both paused as something caught up to them. “Why are you telling me about your weapons capabilities and I just told you about our defensive strengths?”

William shook his head. “I don’t know, maybe because our minds are so... similar at this point in time, that we feel like we are more talking to ourselves?” But Luna’s expression was not what he thought, it was more thoughtful.

“Tia,” she finally whispered. “My sister must have done something.” She turned to the door only to stop as it opened, and in stepped Princess Celestia. “Tia, are you, did you do something that is causing us to give up what we both realize are state secrets?”

Princess Celestia didn’t even seemed phased by the accusation, but instead, she only smiled and stepped further into the room. Behind her the Elements of Magic slowly moved into the room and stood off against the wall. “No,” her voice soft. “You did this to yourself.” Celestia continued in the stunned silence. “When you shared your mind with Williams, and William gave up his own thoughts towards yours, you created a balance that you two feel needs to be kept in check for the time being, it will slowly fade, but till then, you two will be giving secrets to each other, similar to how William knows a normal bullet couldn’t kill my guards or yours, but you also already knew his power with his rifle. So do I thanks to your giving me more select tidbits of his mind. However, you gave him the information, due to the fact that there was an imbalance there.” Celestia only sighed. “Also, you two have been speaking in his language this entire time. I decided to come here so as to draw both of you back into Equestrian proper.” Here she turned around and sat on the couch. “Well, carry on.” She responded with a grin. “I too am curious as is Twilight is on what was given to William to fight my entire army.”

Luna gulped and realized William had as well. “Don’t worry, my sister won’t do anything mean to you, she’ll only send you to the moon if you decide to pull a Nightmare Moon.” Luna chuckle was not too convincing but it was enough to get them going.

“Right,” William moved to the larger of the pouches and opened it. looked down, and froze in horror. “LUNA!” But he didn’t finish as Luna looked into the pouch and froze as well before the entire pouch was teleported away, both of them turning to see that Celestia was now right behind William her horn glowing and her head down in a protective manner.

Luna was first to speak. “I teleported them to the Canterlot vault under the castle, those things were not... they are more dangerous.” She looked at William who was shaking now in worry, dread, and fear. “He never got full training to even deal with them.” She looked back at her sister and laughed. “Tia, please, you’ll just scare our guest even more.” Luna waited till Celestia had backed away from William and had negated the charged horn with a look of worry at the two. She looked back at William. “We can wait till you recover.” she commanded

Celestia just looked back at Luna, “What, was that?” her voice wanting Luna to answer the question while William recovered from the shock.

“That,” Luna began, “Was a group of grenades, those are metal explosives that would tear you apart with shrapnel. Very deadly, something you have  to treat with a lot of respect.” She looked back at the ruck sack and acted like it was no big deal. That is before she looked at William and had to head butt him softly to get him back to moving.

“Oh, right, uh...” he quickly patted his Moll-e vest before sighing and moved to his shoulder pockets. “I don’t want any more surprises.” he admitted in Equestrian. He however stopped and returned to his vest. One small pouch towards his upper left collarbone area, he found and pulled out a sealed packet of some white fabric.

“This is a medical gaze, it is for helping soldiers with wounds to patch up to get to better field hospitals.” he replied as he put the sealed packet back into the pouch and smiled as he moved to another small pouch on the same side, it had some strings coming out and tying around an empty loop. Next to this was another item, it was also tied to the vest in the same manner.

“Right, these are a whistle,” He held up the black object and blew into softly, it emitted a soft sound, but those in the room could understand that it could have gone louder with more pressure or a harder blow. “Used for emergencies or calling for aid.” He patted it softly.

He then moved to the pouch with the two strings, he opened it with a snap of the pouch cover, whereas the other pouches had been held by velcro or buckles, this was held together by a clasp button. He pulled out a metal rectangle olive green item and opened it. “This is a Field Compass, using maps and common sense, you can find your way around the wilderness, and track movements and using this with a map, chart your own path.” He sighed and seemed more happy.

“Looks like no more weapons hidden on my body, so that is good, I guess I can move on with more items.” he smiled as he went back to his emptying of his pockets and the rucksack.

Princess Celestia only looked at him. “I would hope not, but tell me, do you have any more weapons?” William and Luna both knew she was asking. William only nodded his head and smiled as he moved to pick up a metal contraption.

He turned with the empty weapon. “This is a M16A2, a rifle that every soldier is trained to handle,” With quick fluid movements, he had pulled the charging handle back, locked the bolt keep the weapon open, he quickly checked the weapon to make sure it is clear, and kneeling on one knee and head bowed low he held up the weapon for Celestia to inspect. He felt the weapon leave his hands and saw as it was enveloped in a gold aura of magic as she pulled it to her to look at it.

As she looked at the weapon, and he realized that she had that same look as Luna, meaning she would hopefully be busy in her memories he returned to his original project. He checked on his shoulder pocket and realized it had a notebook with handwriting on it. It looked like notes in another handwriting that was not his own, which he would read later. He then moved to the pocket on his right shoulder, with the US flag on it. He pulled out two pocket sized books, he smiled softly. “Well at least I have some important reading.” he looked at Luna. “These are scriptures from my world. Also...” He paused as he reached in and pulled out another small booklet. “These are the founding documents of my government. Our Declaration of Independence and our Constitution.” he smiled as he held the booklet out to Luna. “You can read them, the Constitution are the highest laws we have.” he admitted with pride.

Celestia had moved the rifle to the table as she looked at Luna. “Let me read that when you are done sister,” She looked at Twilight. “Could you later create a copy of our own laws for our guest to read? Since he is letting us read his governmental laws, we shall let him read our own laws.” Celestia waited for Twilight to nod her head, before looking at William and Luna. “Well, please continue, this is somewhat becoming entertaining.”

Luna actually looked at her sister before looking at the ruck sack, while William realizing that part of the Moll-e vest had two water canteens and so taking one out, he took a swig of water, recapped the water and then placed the water back into the pouch it stayed in. he smiled a little as he moved to help start pulling other items out of ruck sack.

He reached in and while he could feel some items, he however did pull something out. He looked at the item. “This is,” He looked at Luna and Celestia. “This is a folding shovel, used to do so many things, the only thing I can think of here is that we can use these to create holes to hide in during battles and for protection. Still, it can be used to create many useful items as well, from wells to waterways and etc.”

He then moved into the ruck sack again and pulled out another item only to find himself pushed back by a ebony wing. “This is going by too slowly, I want to know what’s in this, I can tell that the Nightmares gave you a bigger on the inside holding device, but what did they give to you?”

William looked as Luna head completely disappeared into his rucksack as he looked down. Sighing he moved and dropped the unloaded Beretta M9 next to the rifle. He looked back to Luna and yelped in shock at what he saw. He looked at Celestia who was giggling and Twilight looked confused. There in front of William looking back at him was Luna with something in her muzzle, a grin on her muzzle.

“LUNA!” William shouted in shock and horror, his eyes looking right at the item in Luna’s mouth. “That’s a,” His voice almost failing, but Luna spoke over him with a grin.

“I know,” Luna spoke around the object. “Just shocked you got close range weapons that we know about, a knife it looks like.” She somehow smiled around the object. “This is a good Equestrian weapon.” She smiled as her horn glowed with her magic and it wrapped around the knife which then levitated to slowly attached to his left leg and then when it was secured the glow finally stopped and Luna grinned. “That seems like a good weapon, how sharp is the knife?”

“I do not really know, I never owned a K-bar knife, but I presume rather sharp.” he stuck his hands into his pockets for the first time and blinked as he took a folding knife in confusion. “Well, this is good, I wonder.” he trailed off as he poked his head into the rucksack and began to pull out many sealed packages of a dark tan, or light brown color with writing stamped on the front in english. Luna was looking at them puzzled by what she was seeing, while William was only smiling. “Well,” he muttered in wonderment as the pile kept on growing. “I guess the nightmares were not keen on me starving in Equestria.” William muttered in some relief. Before he looked back at the other ponies. “No offense to all of you, but I don’t think.”

“none taken.” Celestia replied, “Just like Dragons and Griffins, you have a different diet than others.” Celestia looked at Luna who was looking at the food with a look of interest. “I think we will have to have you show her how to eat one of those meals.”

William only nodded his head. “Yeah, I will teach you how to cook and eat the meal.” He sighed as he actually had to physically push Luna away from the pack. “Please, let me handle this, I know this more on sight then you do with your mind having to shut down to let you see what they do. I am amazed you didn’t know what an MRE is.” He held up said sealed meal and smirked at Luna’s blank expression as she got a small information dump into the Meal Ready to Eat. He sighed as he reached into the bag and found yet another thing to pull out, this one he felt had a strap for some reason.

Luna looked on in wonderment with a fake look of hurt while Celestia couldn’t help but laugh a little. “Now now Luna,” Celestia spoke with sage wisdom. “You got to remember that these are our guest’s belongings and while you may be a princess and can order to get into his stuff, we should try and refrain from...” She stopped as she saw Twilight looking at the table close up. “Uh, are the things on the table free game?” She asked William.

William looked back at Celestia and then to Luna, and then finally at Twilight who was trying to figure out how the inert Beretta worked. “Uh, I guess so.” his voice filled with uncertainty. “Though I think this might give you all some nice time to look into.” he admitted as he held the tote. It was bulky, with an ACU pattern, but also on it was a white square with a red cross on it.

It was Celestia who this time took the tote and pulled it to her. “A first aid kit? A rather large one.” She admitted in amazement.

“I would guess it is for field emergencies to stabilize war wounds or something. I wouldn’t know, not trained in it.” He admitted before hearing the zipper being undone on the tote and soon it was opened and Celestia was boggled at all the items in their sleeves, pouches, and straps, yet tucked inside it in a clear wrapped plastic was a field guide book as to how to use the tools and procedures. “Oh, I guess we can study that and learn.”

William returned to his ruck sack and continued in his rummaging before taking hold of a metal cylinder that definitely should not be able to be concealed inside the sack. He gulped as he slowly pulled out  a weapon that he did not want to see. “Okay, Luna, Vault, NOW!” he commanded as Luna stepped back not in shock at seeing the weapon but the tone of voice that was spoken to her from William. She pouted but seeing the worry and fear, plus the respect he was giving that strange metal tube she complied.

“Okay,” Her voice a little darker and colder than before, “I followed a command, but you have to tell me what that is.” She had pushed the memory from her mind, she would review it later, she wanted to hear from William what it was.

“That,” William started as he turned to face Luna, knowing that the other two were listening. ‘Is an RPG, or Rocket Propelled Grenade weapons system.” he spoke calmly. “First off, I do not know how to work it, nor do I want to.” he went back to the rucksack to pull another item out, but found it too heavy for him. “Uh, Luna, can you, uh, please help me to get this thing out?”

Luna only nodded her head with a pleased look on her muzzle and in her eyes as her dark blue magic took hold of the strange box that was giving problems to get out of the sack. She soon had a metal crate that looked airtight with yellow writing denoting that they just got the ammunition of the RPG, which she promptly teleported away.

“I would think.” Celestia’s voice pierced the room with the sound of annoyance. “That we should create a designated room for all of these weapons of the Nightmare. I rather have them more secured in the vault.”

Twilight looked at her Mentor. “You mean a Vault in a Vault?” Her eyes gleamed with joy. “That would allow you to study them, but if something goes wrong,” She stopped in shock. “Or something sets them off, it would only hurt the smaller vault.”

“While keeping the bigger vault safe.” Celestia finished Twilight’s thoughts. “I will have work begun as soon as we get this mystery solved.” She looked back to the ruck sack with her own curiosity building. William found that all three of them were looking at him.

So with a sigh, he reached in, took hold of the first thing he could find and pulled out a Ruger Mk II. He blinked sighed and walked to the table with annoyance before placing the Ruger onto the table with the other weapons. “Let’s see, that is two pistols, a rifle, an RPG, and grenades, I am loaded out for a one man demolition team it seems.” He sighed and looked back at the seemingly never endless stream of, stuff that he was getting in this in his mind Mary Poppins carpet bag, only it was a military style. He sighed and moved back to finally empty it out. He would let those that knew magic better than him figure out this mess.

He had to calm his nerves and hoped there were not any more surprises. So he reached in, felt another strap and pulled out yet another tote in his camouflage marking as his shirt and saw the patch and read what it was. “Okay, one tent for sleeping out in the field. That is a keeper.” he spoke as he placed it to the side with the other items that he knew he needed to keep. “I wonder if I can stake that to a cloud.” He muttered to himself as he went back to his ruck sack.

Twilight actually looked up at that half thought out idea. “What a wonderful experiment, with your permission.” Twilight looked at Celestia with pleading eyes. “ I can begin with the experiment right away.”

Luna just looked at the two. “Well we could just issue a cloud tent, but,” She smiled at the thought, “I do say, thou hast a grandiose idea of seeing how other dimensions items might interact with our own physics, still, there is getting you both to the cloud cover.”

William only smiled at the ideas. “Well happy to have pushed forward some parts of thinking here and there. But I got a feeling we are not yet to the bottom of this problem, nor all what we have loaded into this item.” He waved a hand at the Rucksack in question.

He reached back into the Rucksack and pulled out another item with metal bars and green fabric that was all scrunched together into a small compact three dimensional rectangle. “An Army Cot,” he looked up at the confused looks. “Its like a bed frame, I would put that sleeping bag onto the Cot that would go inside the tent.” he replied as he put it with the tent and returned again to the Rucksack.

He reached into for yet another time, and he was getting rather tired with all of the in and out he was doing, but he had a feeling that dumping it all out onto the table would not do well for anyone, what if something else that was deadly was still in the rucksack. He hoped not because he was tired of turning into a walking arsenal. What he felt was still another strap, and pulling out with less enthusiasm than before he looked at it.

“A survival kit, sure won’t be opening that any time soon, don’t need it, nor do I even want to inventory it.” He blinked in shock as a purple aura enveloped the kit, which was a black backpack with some yellow warning tape with the words Survival Kit on the tape as well.

“Don’t worry,” Twilight spoke with a chipper voice then William felt should be given with how long it felt like he was going through this. “I can do it, and I love making lists, so I can help you here.”

“Only if Celestia helps you.” William spoke as he moved back to get the next item. “I still don’t trust anything here, just, feels too freaky for my liking.”

“Of course you don’t like this.” Luna spoke from her spot as she looked at the windows. “You are not use to magic, nor are you in your correct dimension and, well I can see many different means as to why you would feel uncomfortable.” She smiled and looked at the others. “Well, I can wait for an MRE later, but I think I should go get us all something to eat, but only if William agrees to let us observe him eat an MRE himself.”

William beat all of them by his answer. “I accept your offer, but I will do so, only when I know that this is empty. I rather like to know just what I am carting around Equestria on my back.” He made a grimace of a smile as he watched Luna walk to some type of rope and tugged on it with a rope. A guard seemingly materialized at a hidden door, spooking William at what he was seeing.

“I think we all would like our usual meals, also Twilight will be joining us, so have her old standby ready.” Luna smiled as the guard only nodded his head and left, she turned back to the rest of the party in the room. “I must say, it is a good thing we all have dined in the castle at least once.” She paused and blushed a little. “I mean us ponies.”

“None taken, I rather not risk anything with the local diet, and I am getting hungry and a slight headache, as it is almost noon, and I have not really eaten anything since...” he trailed off before finishing his sentence a little rushed. “Since yesterday afternoon.” His stomach gurgled at that point and a few nervous laughs sounded in the room while he went to his task, he wondered if anything was still in the ruck sack. So with another sigh, he reached his hand into the sack and began to feel around again.

He began to feel around, and it was feeling now a little more, well empty. He did feel something and when he pulled, it was once again a little heavy. He grunted a little before Luna stepped in and pulled out a metal box, only this one made sounds as something slide around inside, William stopped and paused and Twilight as well, and they both spoke at the same time. “Books?” The question was there on both faces as William found he had to actually push Twilight away.

“Please, this is my stuff, and my books, I should at least see what it is, and deem if it is safe for anyone outside of me to read.” He sighed and calming nerves took the latches and undo them with a click and clank for the two, he then pushed the lid, which made a small pop as air seeped into the chest. He saw that indeed there were books. He saw the first few books and smiled. “Princess Luna.” he muttered giving one to Luna. “Princess Celestia.” He set one to the side and let the other Princess take it in her golden magic. “And myself.”

Twilight looked at him crestfallen. “Only had three, and frankly, the Princesses should read them first, you can ask Celestia if you can read it...” He trailed off. “Actually, ask Luna to teach you how to read English.” he muttered.

There was a little laughter from of all ponies, Celestia. “Actually I can teach Twilight to read English, and, what is this? Art of War?” She looked at the book in a bit of disgust.

William spoke while looking at the other books. “If you want to know a core doctrine taught to every single military in our world, read that book. It has been also used by business leaders, sports teams, and normal people.” He looked up to look at the wall in front of him. “It is a very old book, and almost common knowledge to us. If our worlds do meet, it would be best if you know a little, so you can be able to stand on your own four hoofs in the first meeting.” He sighed and looked at the other books. “As for the others, I doubt I would like to give them up. All of them are military strategies and field guides, and I rather not have them fall into any hooves. So I will be keeping them with me.” he locked the box back up minus two books. He pushed it away and reached in one more time and pulled a formless tube bag.

“So, they gave me an A-Bag?” he asked in shock. “Well, makes sense,” he quickly opens it and looks into it, not caring to check all the items inside it. “Looks like three days of clothing.” He sighed and closed it up. He moved a stool to be next to the rucksack and found that up to the middle of his chest was able to fit into the sack. He only found one other thing. A Master list of every single item that he had in the ruck sack. He sighed and tried to climb out, which only succeeded in causing the rucksack to tip on its side and him falling off the stool and on the ground. He sat there in stunned silence before the sack fell off the table and landed on his chest, as he was laying on his back. All present were thankful that the metal back frame landed facing up. William it looked still got hurt from the falling piece of equipment, but not as bad as he would have if the metal frame landed on him.

This luck did some good as it lightened the moods of all involved, and they were still laughing when the lunch came into the room, and then came the new teaching, of a human soldier teaching three ponies, two alicorns, and one unicorn the “magic” of cooking an MRE with just water. He however was thinking of which one to eat when it was Twilight who spoke up.

“Fluttershy said that your teeth are like a bear in that you might eat meat. Is that true?” This question from Twilight caught William off guard. He turned and looked at her with a confused look. He didn’t know he was also looking nervous as well at the prospect of eating meat in front of what he considered the head of the elements of Harmony, and two rulers, the rulers he was not too worried, after all they dealt with Griffins, so surely they would be use to seeing some meat eating, but Twilight.

“If you are worried, don’t be, I have an owl who works the night desk at my library, and owls eat little rodents from the Everfree forest. So I am use to having seen some of nature in action. I also had to attend a function with some Griffin delegates as well, that was, an eye opener.” Twilight admitted.

After all of that, William felt more at ease for going after something to eat with a little meat in it. He was actually fighting a headache that threatened to decommission him for the coming afternoon if he didn’t eat something soon.
> A Royal Lunch
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------


A Royal Lunch


They all began to sit down calmly, while William pulled out his folding knife from his pocket and slit open one of the MRE’s; he was hiding it well, but his head was starting to hurt from going so long without any food to eat. So he began to pull it out and without even so much as explaining what he was doing, he just went to work, first ripping open a small clear green bag with, well, something in it that seemed strange to the ponies in the room. He quickly opened the main meal box, Meatloaf, and placed it into the bag, then he took some of his canteen, poured some water into the bag, then placed it all into the cardboard box, and set it against one of the legs of the table. He looked at those looking at him.

“It needs to be propped up against something to let it cook.” he smiled as white wisps of smoke started to come from the packet. “There we go, cooking due to a chemical reaction, water, with that pad, causes heat, and well, makes a warm meal.” he smiled, sat back and watch as the others meals were brought out. Most of them were salads, with what looked to be sandwiches and some tea. He just sat there as the actions of getting the meal started happened. So there was not much to do while the servers were handing out the food and, after a few more minutes he began to take the meal out and taking out a spoon from another packaged item and smiled as he worked to tear it open, but not burn his fingers. Still it was in his mind kind of funny to watch it happen, but soon he was digging into his first part of the meal with joy as food finally touched his lips, teeth, and tongue. He ate at a dignified pace, but still at a pace that they knew he was hungry.

The meal started in peace, but Twilight began to look at William in curiosity and was, to his eyes, itching to ask some questions, but it seemed was trying to not be rude during eating. William, to the shock of the two Princess and the Element holder of Magic, was already cleaning the meal from his spoon, having eaten the entire meal. He looked at their shocked faces, “Sorry, years of having a set amount of time for getting food, sitting down, and eating and cleaning up, you learn to scarf down the food.” He sighed as he turned to root through the MRE before blinking and pulling out another heater. “Oh wow... The Nightmares fixed the problem with not enough heaters in an MRE.” He looked at Twilight. “So,  you have questions? Go on, ask them. This is something I am used to, talking during meals. It makes the meal last longer.”

Twilight actually looked happy and chirped a little in joy as she tried to start asking questions, but she had to slow down to where she began to ask questions. “So, are their ponies in your world? I mean you are not -- or were not -- freaking out about meeting another sentient species that you are able to understand and communicate with.”

William laughed and slowly faded into a smirk. “Well this is a bit... awkward.” he looked at Twilight as he cooked the side meal. “Well, to be honest, we do have ponies, but only similar to your Earth Pony.” he looked at Luna to keep up his charade of knowing things. “Which I must thank you for the information of. It makes conversations more... well, smoother or more awkward.” he smiled to show he was trying to be funny.

Luna only smirked back. “We feel it is only fair that since you gave us so much knowledge, considering that we know your nation, the strength it wishes to convey, the economic troubles, and it was best to make a human Equestrian expert somewhat, since we have become the Pony Human expert.” She was returning it just as much as he was trying to give.

He looked back at Twilight, “Still, they look only like Earth Ponies, but I never saw a Pony in real life except when I was...” he looked around and pointed at the table. “About as high as this table, Which now comes up to my waist...” He paused, “I’ll have to see for sure later, but seeing as the Princesses are both taller than I am, I know this since every time I talk to Luna, I have to look up to her, and I do not know how tall you are Twilight, and Princess Celestia is taller than Luna,” He paused and put a hand up to his head. “Ouch, a lot to think about on size comparisons, but we can handle that more after lunch.”

He realized now that while the two Princesses were sitting at the table with only cushions to sit on for them. He and Twilight were sitting in specially designed chairs for Ponies, amazingly to him, the chair that was made for a Pony, was also comfortable for a Human to sit on.

“Okay,” Twilight responded having somehow pulled out quill and paper to take notes on. She was silent as she took her notes before looking back to William, “Do you have magic, or an understanding of your world’s mechanics?”

This made William actually paused and pondered, he pointed to his knife, “Well, we have metalworking as with this knife. We know how to make composite materials,” he paused, “that is mixing different materials to create new ones, and usually lighter ones,” He pointed to his M16A2, “We know our earth is huge, and a globe,” He paused, “I cannot remember the actual diameter, but it was actually calculated in the ‘BC’ era,” he paused, “Well, that is ‘Before Christ’, but the modern days use ‘Before Common Era’, or ‘BCE’,” he smiled softly, “Mind you, this is our time reckoning, the ancients I doubt used BC, at least I don’t think so,” He smiled and continued on, they could tell he was trying to not make too many waves, “The time I am from is going off the ‘Gregorian Calendar AC’, or ‘After Common Era’, or ‘After Christ’. Anyway, I live in the year two thousand and thirteen.”

“Ah,” Twilight interrupted, “Like how we are in year four of Luna’s Return, or ‘LR’,” She smiled as she tried to help a little, “The time before was called ‘Celestia’s Reign’,” She smiled and settled down a little.

“Right,” William looked down and laughed, “Oh my, I got off track from your actual question -- we don’t really have magic. We rely on a lot of tools and mechanics to compensate. We know that the world is made up of atoms,” here he was stopped with a hoof of Celestia.

She looked at Twilight, “I’d rather not have us know too much, or we could be here for a long time. I think we have enough for now, however I do have something I need to ask before this proceeds any further.”

She looked right at William, “You said your people know of the atom. Tell me, what have you done, or what is the biggest development you have made with the atom?” Her hard glare at William made him realize just what she was getting at. He felt that -- when looking back on it -- she knew about nuclear fusion, as she dealt with a sun on a daily basis. She added a small modifier, “What have you, as in your nation, your people, your race of Humans done?”

He looked right at her, not cringing, “To stop a force that would not stop under normal events, we had to create, and here,” he paused and looked at all present, and he looked at Luna with a sharp look realizing she was going to speak. “You might know what it is, but this discovery has colored, shaped, and defined all of human history after this event,” He looked back at every single pony in the room, stopping on Princess Celestia. “But for me, how this event affected me? It has affected including me, three generations of my family, but longer for others I think.”

Celestia looked at him with a tilt of her head, “You speak of differing generations between your family and others, has your family longer lived than others?” She looked at Luna, most likely asking it on her behalf.

William shook his head in a negative with a small chuckle,“Not really, it is because, my father married late, he is, speaking based on father, son, grandson. My father’s tree, because of how late he married, he is actually, about as old as some of my younger brother’s friends Grandparents. So, for me, I can say my father grew up during the Cold War, but friends of mine, would say their grandfather was in my father’s generation.”

There was a few nods from the Princesses, they to William’s eyes understood what was being said. Twilight spoke next. “So, because your father married and had you later then normal for a human, you are, more connected to these events, and as such, they weigh more heavily on your mind?”

William nodded his head, “That is correct,” he looked back at Celestia. “To put it simple, this weapon, the mechanics behind it, was used to create powerful power plants, that would create electricity and energy to power our society. But every human on earth that is worth anything in knowledge, knows what I know.” he closed his eyes, but he was not to finish his words.

Celestia slowly spoke. “Your people, have found an artificial means of creating an event that happens in every star in the Universe, you can create a miniature star’s reaction on your planet’s surface.” Here she looked saddened. “Yet, I can see that society, at least from your home region, think heavily upon what it is that you as a people have created, you mentioned a Cold War, what is that?” William could see that she was asking this to try and keep Twilights mind from connecting the dots, reading into the words spoke. He was grateful for this distracting question.

“That,” William began, “Is where their is a war, but the two players do not fight directly, they either fight by weapons production,” He looked around and tried to grasp at something before seeing a painting of a Griffin. “Say you and,” He stopped as Luna filled it in.

“Say we and the Griffin Kingdom decided to start producing weapons, let’s keep it simple, and we count it by the number of spears that we can launch at eachother.” Luna’s simple analogy worked for the moment.

“Right. Now, you and the Griffins know that since you have, now let’s place these spears with special spear heads that could kill a small village.” He saw they were nodding their heads. He was amazed that Twilight was just, well, she was a researcher and so, she was most likely listening to this, still, he had to keep on topic. “Anyway, you all have enough to wipe each other out over Sixteen times.” This paled all faces, and he grimmiched. “Yeah, that was the Cold War. Two sides facing each other and fighting in other regions to give their influences.” he closed his eyes. “The Cold War was a time, it changed to world, and now, our world is changed again, the second of the two world powers in the Cold War crumbled and the war ended,but there were many moments when many thought the end was going to happen and all life would be gone. However, their political systems failed and the world moved forward, and then... came terrorists, groups without a nation’s flag or a face of a government, they are... rebels, and the like. That is what we were fighting, we didn’t know our enemy and we are learning a new system of fighting.”

Celestia paused and held up a hoof. “I am pleased to know this, but we are getting off task, and you are rambling, and from your face you seemed saddened, why?”

William looked up and at Celestia, as he had bowed his head while talking. “Because, I am speaking of war to a nation that, I from what I Could see, is not fighting any wars, and is almost a utopia.” He barely caught a small smile from Luna before her voice caused him to turn, and he wondered if he imagined the small smile.

Luna looked at the table. “As I have seen your mind, what I see of your world is a utopia as well, war is not ravaging your own nation’s land, you have problems, but problems that can be solved easily, do not be so quick to think we do not see fighting, we keep our borders safe from more of the, nasty dragons who would eat our little Ponies.” Luna smiled. “Even though you do not feel like talking, I can tell you feel no shame in your nation, even though it has made mistakes. It make a special pony to keep faith in something, even when it messes up.” Her small smile seemed to say that she knew about messing up. Then again, she was Nightmare Moon four equestrian years ago. He took her words as a compliment.

Celestia smiled as they each took bites of their food and after chewing and swallowing she asked another question, after giving Twilight a look that said she would have her time again. “I must ask this as well of you,” She began as she gave him what he was realizing was her look of you better not lie to me or you will be in a lot of trouble. “What, would you rate your own people as against my own?”

William looked right at Princess Celestia. “I cannot say, I do not know your military might, nor what Magic can do or not do, however I do know that your Royal Guard’s armor is magically enhanced,” Celestia looked back at Luna, he had a feeling she was not liking Luna giving him the information now, “But still, I cannot say anything, but an open fighting conflict will do heavy damage on both sides, especially if I take into account if you or Luna join the fight directly, or the Elements of Harmony,” He shivered a little.

“What,” her voice suddenly hard. “Do you know of the Elements of Harmony.” Her eyes blazed and her horn began to glow with a golden color.

“That it banished me to the moon.” William snapped in horror and fear as if reliving a memory, something triggered in his mind that he knew was not right, but it was right at the same time. “That it left me knocked out, but still semi conscious of the flow of time, the loneliness and the actual barren surface of the moon.” he had returned the glare with a cold haunted look as well, tears in his eyes. “The pain of the light when it finally burned the Nightmare from my mind, and then again when the ghost of those memories were used to purge my personal Nightmare from me as I lay on bedrest in a cottage of the Element of Kindness, the scent of the magic in the air, ready to be unleashed and incase me in whatever it was they would do, from shadow, to stone to,” he was silenced with the sound of a metal horse shoe hammering on the stone floor.

His mind it seemed to snap back into focus and he found himself standing, actually standing and leaning towards Celestia. he was momentarily in confusion seeing the pain and horror on Celestia’s muzzle as her eyes were drifted between Luna and William.

She looked at Luna, then at William. “Luna, since you have this mess, you will be escorting him around the castle, and to his guest quarters, I think it is time we reopened some in your tower.” her face was suddenly emotionless and very hard to read.

Luna only nodded her head. “Very well Sister, We shall do so at the end of lunch.”

Twilight looked just stunned. “You,” Her face darkened with anger. “How dare you speak to Princess Celestia like that, and with such familiarity, And how dare you mock Princess,”

She was cut off by a small movement of Celestia’s wing covering her student in it and pulled her closer to her body. “Please Twilight, I am not mad, in fact, I think I need to explain to you.” She paused and looked at William. “As well as you, why for now, he is able to get away with verbally assaulting and speaking with personal pronouns on an event he should never have witnessed.” She looked at him with her own pained look, as if seeing another suffering as her sister did those thousand years.

She smiled softly and let her student settle down, and waited for William to sit back down, she cleared her throat and William saw a new side of Celestia. The Teacher.

“The short of it, for all to understand.” She smiled and looked at Twilight. “I will have an advanced book of this for your to read later.” She looked back up and spoke in the louder clear tone. “He and Luna,” She began fully. “Had to share their minds, Luna I know protected her mind of the more private and personal matters, but William.” She turned to face the human. “Being a man who was drowning in his own mind, and losing a war he did not wish to lose and become an observer in his own body, flung his whole soul into giving Luna what she needed to defeat the Nightmare. In doing so, she got a lot of his thoughts and memories, most of which are locked up, and will never be looked at, while others she will have bursts of what William have.” She looked at Luna. “hopefully you will time them to be in your dreams.”

Celestia took a breath to allow the information to sink in a little before proceeding more. “What you saw Twilight, was a memory emergence. TO William at that moment in time, he was not fully himself, but he was part Luna as well, and part of the Nightmare, and could feel the pains, the anguish of all that happened as if it happened to him. Because of that, he is a curiosity. At times he will act like a human, and others, he may very well, think he is my sister for moments of time, though I worry what will happen if he gets my sister’s pranking tastes.”

William looked shocked, and spoke aloud. “What? But I never prank, it should be I who is worried of what you would do to my tea or food, I cannot forget that itching powder.” the last word was spoken more of a trailing off as he looked at the now laughing Celestia, he knew she was laughing even though she was not, it was the way the light glistened off her eyes.

Luna however was not one to keep her shell when in private areas and began to laugh. “Oh, Tia, this is so much fun, we have an ally in our work to keep the boredom away, and more eyes to keep thy pranks from harming him.”

Celestia only sighed, “So says the one that scared me with your first new moon by saying you lost it.” That made both Luna and William to laugh aloud at the memory. Celestia waited patiently before she continued when the laughing was finished. William realized he was laughing not fully from the memory, but from seeing Luna actually laugh.

“As you can see Twilight.” She looked back at her student. “Because of what Luna did to save William, he is a bit more...”

“Crazy.” She spoke, using the same vocal manners she did when she first describe the citizens of Ponyville, all crazy. “But in a good way.” She finished. “It might be interesting, if nothing else, if we can get William home, we will have a spokespony for us if we have to keep in contact with his world.”

“I hope not.” Celestia responded. “His world can, from what my sister showed me from the memory sharing she gave me, I saw a world that lacks the jewels and gems we have, and many wars were fought over resources. While others fought for control, and other wars were fought for the ideals he believes in. The people on the individual levels could be reasoned with, it is the governments of his world that I worry about.”

Twilight slowly nodded her head at seeing her mentor and Teacher speak of matters that worried the minds of the Princess. She had seen her like this many times while she tutored and mentored her.

Luna spoke up, “Well, I guess I shall get into this, and ask thee a question.” She smiled and looked at him. “How late do you stay up at night? Seeing as you are going to be a part of the castle life, we rather not wake you up by accident.”

William looked at the group. “depends, lately I have stayed up till, oh, about an hour or two past the middle of the night.”

The mixed emotions of Luna and Celestia was funny to see to William. Celestia looked a little nervous as she gave the now grinning Luna a sideways glance of worry. “Now Luna,” Celestia started. “just because he is a semi night owl like you, does not mean he will become a permanent fixture in your night court, he will have to sit in and watch some of my court as well.” She looked at William. “As well as be taught a little on our rules and laws. If he is to be here, and stuck, I rather have him taught so that he does not make a mess of our legal system.” She turned her head to Twilight, “Now, I believe we have taken enough time from your questions, You and your friends do have lives to return to in Ponyville, and for the time being, Luna and I will be having more time to ask him questions ourselves. So ask any more you have.”

Twilight smiled and grinned wide, she took a bite of her salad first before looked at William. “I saw all these tools you have, is there anything that is more advanced than in your rucksack that is not connected to war?”

William looked at her. “Anything can be used to fight a war, you are in fact, the first intelligent none predator that we can, I mean to say, I can think of.” He looked around. “But many things are used for helping humanity.” he looked at Luna and Twilight. “I noticed you removed my blouse and tan undershirt.”

“Oh,” Twilight spoke in wonderment, “Are you going to tell me about that scar that goes from the bottom of the fleshy part of your neck that connects to your sternum? Then goes down to the stomach?”

William looked at Twilight in confusion. “You read a lot of books, and amazingly we have the same words, no wait, I am speaking Equestrian but my mind is making it English.” he muttered. “Anyway, yes, I was going to explain that.” He took a breath. “While in the ROTC, I went in for a deep physical, and they found that my heart was not doing well, in fact, they had to operate on it.” He smiled a little. “Just twenty years before and they wouldn’t have had the tools to even notice that something was wrong. They caught it and while they saved my life, and extended it. I could not be accepted into the United States Army.” he smiled softly. “That was when I was a year one Cadet. They let me stay the full two years a civilian is allowed to attend.” He smiled softly.

Celestia only nodded her head. “Of course, Luna did tell me that as well, but please note that we shall still treat you as a military officer, otherwise we would have to treat you as a potential spy, and we rather with the Nightmares around, treat you as an exchange officer program.”  Her words were hinting at something much deeper it seemed.

“Very well, but I would like to talk about getting something other than the three changes of Military clothing I have with me, I do wish to have Civilian wear.” William responded, he was picking his fights and he was not going to pick a fight over military standings, it might need to be done later, but at the moment, don’t rock the boat too much.

It was about then that the meal was wrapping up and Celestia looked at those gathered. “I wish we had more time, but as lunch is finished, I feel that Luna should get our guest settled.” She looked at Twilight. “I would consider it a personal favor if you and the Element Bearers would stay the night in the castle. They will be invited to dine with Luna and I.” She looked at William. “As well as Cadet Captain Howard, afterwards you all should be able to crash in your tower.”

“you, but I thought, why keep my tower?” Twilight asked in shock. “I thought  you would have given it to somepony else.”

“Why would I redo a impromptu library tower? And I think it would be nice to have more than one Pony and one small Dragon staying the night in that big of a tower. I feel your friends would still see you as Twilight Sparkle, after all you are my personal student.” She was smiling, and William had the feeling that there were other reasons why she was suggesting it, but still, he got up and began to pack away the gear that was on the desks, they were eating at a table.

“William?” Luna walked over to the Human as he began to pack things up. “We can have the staff do that for you.”

William turned to looked at Luna. “No, thank you.” He was rather firm in his words, “I would rather maintain an accounting of all my gear that is not locked up in the vault, because I do not want any of this to fall into any wrong hoofs or claws.” He admitted.

Luna only nodded his head and waited for Celestia and Twilight to leave before speaking to William again. “William,” Her voice making him stop, it was the tone of voice he was learning that she was going to say something that would turn into an order if he was not careful. “What I said in the clearing, about calling me Princess, that is only when I am with my guards, in the Castle proper, and in the gardens, and it is just I, or my Sister. I want you to drop any title at all.” She bowed her head. “I am still unsure if I am deserving of being called a Princess after what I did those thousand years ago, and on the night of my freedom.”

William only smiled a little. “As you wish Luna.” Was all he said before returning to loading his rucksack of the items that he still owned. “Though,” he added, “You think I could later find Rarity and ask her to make me some,” He trailed off at the small giggle that Luna gave.

“I have already done so.” She replied to question. “So do not worry about that. We shall keep thee well dressed.” She nodded her head upon seeing him finish the packing and tilted her head towards the door. “Shall we begin our tour?”

William nodded his head after placing the rather light Rucksack onto his back, it felt under twenty pounds but it had to be carrying more than that, since he placed everything, even his rifle inside the ruck. Luna had pulled one magazine out of the Vaults to have him have something for protection. He was wearing the leg sheath for the K-Bar, and after checking the outside pockets, something he didn’t do during the actual unpacking in front of Princess Celestia, he had found seven magazines each for his Ruger Mark II and the Beretta M9, in the large front pouch he found side holsters for each one as well.

Luna held the door open and with a chuckle spoke to him. “I should hire the royal painter to get a painting of you with all of your weapons gathered around you, from your knife, to your two pistols, the Rifles, and that,” She paused and spoke the next weapon with the one that was speaking a new language. “RPG.” She smiled at the look William gave her. “IT would only be stored in either my sister or my own tower, and no one outside of our circle of permissions would ever see it.”

William could only smile at her, but with a nervous twitch of his mouth. “That may be fun, but it scares me on how much fire power I have. I am just happy they didn’t give me a Saw.”

“What would be the problem with having a wood cutting tool?” Luna asked as they started down the hallway, she chose not to give too much notice to him looking out the windows and the gardens below them. She waited for him to answer.

“The Saw is what we call a squad carried Machine Gun.” He pointed a thumb to the ruck. “This machine gun uses the same size ammunition that the Rifle carries, but it is all connected in something we call a belt, making it a belt fed machine.” He paused. “Actually, you might want to grab a ladder, just in case I didn’t clean out the entire rucksack. I did clean out everything that my arm could reach, but I didn’t want to fall head first into the thing. Later we need to make sure we did clean that thing out entirely.”

Luna figured that William was being paranoid, but then again, there was a lot of stuff that fit into the rucksack, that RPG launcher certainly in a non-magical logical bag, would never fit inside. She finally nodded her head. “I shall help thee with a ladder so I too may know that all is well, It would be bad if their are more surprises for you.”

William nodded his head and stopped as Luna paused and looked around a corner. “First stop.” She replied, “Will be my tower, and your quarters.” She smiled. “My sister didn’t like the idea that the last two years I was sleeping in our old ruined castle.” She admitted. “I must say, it is, interesting living in a new place.”

William smiled at Luna in understanding. “Sounds about right, I had a friend who went overseas for a tour, when he came back, he didn’t get the letter that his family moved houses.” He laughed. “That was a funny story after the events were said and done.”

Luna only glanced back at him. “I thank you for your trying to cheer me up, but it doesn’t help that we might end up lost, as I am still learning the layout of this castle, it is not only different, but bigger as well from the old one.”

He slowly nodded his head. “Very well,” He replied deciding not to ask if she was going to call her guards. he felt she was doing this herself, maybe it was something she was use to, he wasn’t sure.

Still, it was barely fifteen minutes later that it seemed he was facing what he was feeling was an interdimensional incident in the form of Luna standing in front of him, wings flared. She was staring down two royal guards who were standing in front of a Unicorn with a very manicured yellow mane. His eyes were seething rage and his voice was high pitched and showed anger.

“Aunty Luna, you are letting this ruffian? Or your pet run loose? Why he got in my way during my afternoon walk in the castle.”

“He is not my pet.” Luna glared. She was wishing now she had called for her guards. She had not expected William to meet Blueblood, this would be a disaster. “He is a dignitary from his nation.” She spoke in slow even tones now, trying to defuse the situation. “You are trying to have what done to him?” She was also belittling herself for letting him go one way and her another.

“He was trying to interact with me, and ask my guards rather sensitive questions, I was only to have him thrown into the dungeon and questioned in the morning after no food or water to soften him up.”

Luna looked at the guards. “What, were the questions.”

The left guard broke first under her gaze. “That he was looking your your tower as he had guest quarters being prepared in the tower, however blueblood tossed him back and ordered the arrest for security problems. Then  you came into the room and here, we...” He wilted from his battle buddy and Blueblood. His voice falling silent now.

William stood behind Luna but moved to attention as he heard commotion from behind him. He turned and found himself face first on the stone and shouting, lots of shouting for the first few seconds, it took a little bit of time before a loud bellow sounded from somewhere.

“HALT!” He quickly realized that this was the royal canterlot voice, but it was not Luna who was speaking. He found himself enveloped in a magical aura, and he realized, he could feel a difference, like the sound of footfalls of family members, and then he was pulled up to face a shadow that could only be one other pony with that loud of a voice, but he found he was unable to place the name, he remember Luna, but who was this other voice? It was then that he felt something running down his face, and he felt like he was having trouble breathing through his nose. Before he could move to see what it was, he felt his nose tingle and then a piece of fabric, it felt like silk to his skin, then a command of “Blow your nose.” the command he felt came from the source, he was dizzy, and disorientated, but he did so. He was able to as the tingling move to his head, he realized he was able to think more clearly and see now. He looked down and saw a pure white silk handkerchief covered in what he knew was blood, a lot of blood. With fear he moved his hand to his nose but when he withdrew it. There was no blood.

He looked up and widened his eyes. There looking upon the scene of chaos was Princess Celestia, with the elements of Harmony behind Celestia, the elements on their bodies and they looked ready to use them. She looked at Twilight. “You can stand down now, there was no real threat, only a lot of,” She looked back at the group. “Miscommunication.”

Blueblood moved forward. “Auntie, you, how can you be, he was asking where Auntie Luna was living.” He looked at her. “Are you, is that wise to have an alien sleeping in the same tower as your sister?”

Celestia looked at her nephew. “Blueblood.” Her voice even, “I know this, because I am trying to keep Luna in the castle, as to the human in the tower?” She looked at Luna and the Human. “It is one reason why she might stay in the castle more often.” She looked at her nephew a little harder now. “He also faced down the same thing that took my sister and turned her into Nightmare Moon. So I rather have him watched by Luna’s own personal guards then my own. They have fighting techniques to take down nightmare possessed creatures.”

At those words Blueblood actually paled even more and looked at William as if he was going to grow wings and attack every pony in the room. He barely muttered out an apology and promptly galloped away.

Princess Celestia looked at Luna. “Next time, contact your guards, don’t go wandering around the castle with new guests that have not yet been cleared to the rest of the guards.” She looked at the Elements of Harmony. “You may go about your business, I believe Rainbow, that you should be talking to Spitfire,” She smiled a little. “Congrats again on being flight lead pony back at the Academy.” She smiled and patted Rainbow Dash on the head with a wing.

Rainbow Dash only widened her eyes as she went into an Oh my gosh rant at being complemented by Princess Celestia on the Wonderbolt Academy. When she finished she looked back at the human. “You know what, you are rather cool when you are not all beat up or out of the head.” her voice squeaking a little before she trotted off. “See ya all later, I guess I should find out what Spitfire needs.”

Twilight just looked at the scene as some unicorns moved to clean the blood off the stone floor that came from the humans nose. “So...” She looked around. “You all need anything?”

Luna with a bit of a blush at just what happened, and under her watch and authority only shook her head as she saw one of her guards standing at the end of the hallway. Which was at the connection of a T intersection of the castle hallways. “Nay Dame Twilight.” She spoke, not seeing Twilight’s blush at one of her titles. “I think we shall follow our guard to our tower, Come Cadet Captain Howard, I believe it is time for thee to set up your FOB.” She blinked and looked back at William. Her voice returning more to a less nervous tone and her language returned to the modern day. “You humans have a strange need of making acronyms out of everything.”

William only smiled a little. “It happens, but I am a little shocked that, well you had that show up in your head. Besides I would just call it a base of operations, just a place to crash when I am done exploring or needing to be hiding from certain insane unicorns...”

“I must apologies for Baron Blueblood.” Luna began, interrupting William only to blink when William over spoke Luna, the shock that the guard went through of seeing another being over talking a Princess, let alone the one that he was to protect was a bit, well, new to him.

“Nah, I don’t mind, I saw his eyes, and he was really and truly worried about your well being, a bit over the top maybe.” he looked softly at Luna. “But still worried about family.” He smiled very faintly. “Be thankful for that. Family is something that you only get one of.” He blinked a little to get the water out of his eyes and his nose stung a little from the emotions in his body, but he steeled himself to at least hold it in till in the privacy of his room. However he had one hitch in his steps as he realized just what Luna had said, he would hold off till he talked with Luna as to why Blueblood was a Baron.

Luna however saw the pain and moved a wing to place at his back. “Walk with me Human, we shall drop thy stuff off, and then,” She trailed off as she led William away, following the guard.

Twilight stood there, with Princess Celestia also watching the scene as well. “Celestia?” She spoke finally, and softly, not realizing that the others had left to their own devices leaving the only ones now being the two ponies. “Did, do you think he might be Luna’s first student?”

Celestia only blinked and looked down at Twilight, a strange look in her eyes but voicing a thought she had been having now for a while. “Maybe, but more than that.” She looked up at the place where the two had left. “She might have found a friend that can finally understand just what she went through those thousand years.” She sighed, a scene Twilight had seen a few times in private when it was just student and teacher. “Still, I just hope this will heal the holes that still follow my sister. Who knows, those dark mages might just have given my sister the hope she needed.”

“Dark Mages?” Twilight asked in confusion, “Are those,” She stopped at the gentle but firm look she got from Celestia.

“That is for a subject for later in your studies Twilight, just, not right now, and not so soon after those,” She looked at Twilight. “It has open holes and pains that are still healing. You gave my sister back to me. I am forever grateful for that.” She leaned in. “You gave my sister back to me.” She then pulled back. “But there are things done, that neither Luna, nor I are proud of, and this... this is why I never spoke of her to you.” She looked at the wall and a tapestry of the new symbol of Equestria. A Sun and Moon on a shield, only the moon was on a gold background, and the sun was on a silver background. A hope for a more stable ruling.

Princess Celestia spoke finally from her inner musing. “These wounds will take time to heal. Maybe far longer than a generation, but still.” She smiled then. “It is amazing what joys one can find in the strangest places.”

Twilight only nodded her head. “Like finding friends when all you can think of, is to stop an event that you read in an old book.” She replied and have her teacher a friendly nuzzle like the one she did all those years back on the summer sun solstice. “Thank you.”

Princess Celestia only smiled. “Your welcome my most faithful student. You are most welcomed.”
> Settling In
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

William slowly followed Luna up the staircase, but he had to stop when Luna stopped in front of a door. Luna looked back at him and then at the door.

“Here shall ye sleep while in the castle,” She responded, using her horn to unlock the door. “I hope they gave you a key to keep with you while you stay, you may lock your door when you see fit, but my sister and I do have master spells for all the locks,”

William only nodded his head as he walked into the room, or at least tried to, only to walk into the right wing of Luna, which she had extended to block the doorway. “Yes Princess?” William spoke, wondering if their was something else that needed to be said before he could enter the room.

“I know I have said this before, but until I can convince my guards to let you drop the titles, you need to call me Princess in the castle, in any court settings refer to me as Princess Luna, outside of the court, and in this tower, please call me Luna,” She looked at William fully in the eye. “You and I have experienced enough that I feel we can speak to one another on a more level ground,” She turned her head and looked back into the room. “We both survived the Nightmares,” She finished and finally folded her wing to her side and let William into the room.

As soon as William entered the room, he heard the wooden door shut and lock. He turned around in fear of being trapped, only to see Luna standing in front of the door. “Sit on the bed.” Her voice was showing that she was not asking, it was not an order, but a heavy request of one who needed to get something off her mind. William however still gulped and slowly moved to the bed. As soon as he sat down Luna walked into the middle of the room and sat down on the floor. “We discussed this in the forest already, but, tell me more about this, My Little Pony show. We have the time now to fully discuss this.”

William only looked at Luna and nodded his head once. “For one thing, The show has shown Your return.” This made Luna to actually cringe but William moved on speaking, hoping that she would know more. “However, that caused the fans of the show to begin to, well, respect, love you like they would a friend,” He actually smirked a little, “For one thing, you win every poll your name appears in,”

“Excuse me?” Luna looked up in shock. “They saw my form of a monster, and my poor attempts at my first outing to Ponyville,” She paused, “Yet, they respect me?”

“Well, it might be as well, that a lot of the fans, the older ones of the show, they are night owls, some stay up late into the night.” He looked at Luna and laughed when she blinked and tilted her head.

“They think I play games? That I am a gamer?” She asked him, she only smirked after William nodded his head. “I prefer to write astronomy books, and read in the library. Although I do not mind a board game, I must say my sister might be good at our version of the game called chess but I am a bit better at it,” She had a look of pride.

William only smiled. “Well, I am not that good, I play chess myself, but I cannot remember the last time I won a game. Though I think your rules might be different.”

“That may be,” Luna spoke, “But I can teach you how to play, though there is a game that I do not care for.” She looked to the wall. “It seemed my time with the War of the Moon, caused somepony in the past to make a chess version of my sister and I’s battle.” She looked at William. “The nobles all love to play it, but I abhor it, as they seem to think I shall always play that counterpart.”

William realized he was reading the rather stoic body language of the lunar princess as he realized just what she was getting at. “I can play Nightmare Moon, so we both may learn this court game.” He had a feeling, no, he knew this was a game of the court, he looked at Luna sadly. “I shall do my best to help.”

Luna looked up in shock and confusion before shaking her head. “It seems you and I can read each other better for the moment since I foolishly gave it my all.” She looked down. “I just fear you might try Unicorn Magic or try to fly if you are not careful,” She looked down in shame. “What you have in your head is dangerous. You have my memories, my feelings, my emotions on certain subjects,”

William only looked at Luna. “So do you, I feel you were able to block out a lot of things when we had that discussion but,”

He was interrupted by Luna, “No, I saw the images of your tests, I saw the pictures, what you read, your feelings on the aftermath of the two bombings.” He looked at him. “I could feal your fear of those weapons, the fear that you knew as a historian,” She stopped speaking as she looked at William, “Do not fear, I shall let thee know a secret,” She leaned in a little, her voice tickling his ear in a strange form of magic, “My sister, if you are worried, does not fear you, nor your world, I saw that fear as well,” She smiled before speaking again, “Because you are just children trying to work with something that she has had worked with for over a thousand and a half years.” She leaned back but smiled at the slight fear in Williams eyes.

“So,” he started, “You, you can defend yourselves from most of what we have?” he paused. “Wait, what about bacteria? On both sides or both ways?” he was thinking now of War of the Worlds, only to blink in confusion at Luna’s laughter.

“Oh, don’t worry, the Nightmares made sure that you wouldn’t be able to harm us in that manner, besides, we are different bodies, I doubt things that affect us would affect you,” She paused, “But I did tweak some things while you and I were one, so nothing would happen anyway, I do not want us to be destroyed by disease.”

William just stared in confusion. “You know about bacteria and viruses?” He shook his head as he laughed. “You gotta hospital of a standing that I am familiar in Ponyville, I just,”

Luna just smiled. “Just because our homes look like they belong in the old ages of your world, where knights rode on horses and your people battled dragons.” She paused, “You, have dragons in your world?”

William shook his head. “No, they are just myths, funny thing, is that they appear in every single culture of our world. The one constant we have in all cultures, both ancient and modern, is dragons it seemed.”

Luna only smiled as she realized what was going on. “Well, this is interesting, tell me, do you have any other myths?” She paused and blinked. “Well, maybe not, you know about Pegasi, and Unicorns, and a lot of the monsters that live in our world.”

William nodded his head. “Would be interesting to see, how, I, this entire world, is a myth, a world of fiction for me.”

Luna nodded her head. “Yet we know nothing of your world, the only thing we have even close to your form is a Minotaur, and even then they are rare and come from outside of the borders of Equestria.” Luna spoke while looking around the room. “I think we have had enough talking for the moment. I feel that you should unpack and setup yourself for your stay in Canterlot castle.” Luna got up and moved to the door. “Once again, please, while this is a golden cage for you, please know that my tower you are free to explore, except for my chamber, the tower has a library at the bottom of the tower full of Equestrian literature and laws, for you to read.”

William however stopped Luna before she left the room, her magic on the door to open it. “Luna.” he began, actually liking the idea of calling one by a name and not a title, “Why, did you call Blueblood a Baron?”

Luna actually turned around and looked at him with curiosity before her eyes widened. “Ah... your world calls him Prince Blueblood.” She smiled a little. “That is because Prince is his first name, his rank is a Baron, it causes confusion at times when he uses his first name as a rank.” She smiled a little. “Only an Alicorn can be a true royalty... or direct marriage and family.”

“Oh,” William spoke as his mind took hold of that information before blinking in realization. “That means, that,”

He was cut off by Luna who finished it. “Twilight Sparkle is royalty by being sister to Captain of the Guard Shining Armor, but any foals or colts that she has will not inherit that royal title, but they will become charges of the Everfree forest, which is the land deeded to her by Celestia, Baroness Twilight Sparkle.” Luna smiled, a look William knew she knew more about something then she was telling. “However, I must take care of some items, sunset is in three hours, then you should get something to eat again.” She looked at the rucksack. “I shall leave you be, as you can get to it on the floor, that is your items and while I want to know what is in it. It is your personal effects and,” Her eyes dipped down. “The only things you can call your own.” She turned around without another word and left the room, the door closing with a thud, but the door remained unlock.

William looked around the room, and felt his entire body act like some burden had moved to his back. He looked around the room deciding to study it, not wanting to get to his rucksack just yet. He got up and walked away from the four post bed. If he recalled the style was called a Princess Bed, only it was shaped more for a pony, and male by the way the colors were. He saw a part of the wall that was curved, their was a curtain covering a entrance to what he felt was a balcony for the room, he saw that going from the door to left, following the curve, was the balcony. then the next set of furniture was the bed, past the bed was another door, most likely to a restroom he hoped, as the next item was a large wooden wardrobe, then next to it was a desk, with of all things a mirror over it. There was a rather inventive means to his different anatomy, a wooden crate with an overstuffed cushion on top of the crate for him to sit on. He saw a chest, and then back to the door, everything else was bare stone, with a lantern hanging in the middle, and candles on the desk, all unlit at the moment. He looked around once more. “Fantastic.” he muttered, moving to the wardrobe and opened it to see it empty. He sighed and left it open to place his limited clothing, he noticed a mirror on the back of one of the doors and blinked. He saw there was a lot of drying blood on the front of his ACU uniform, most likely from his bloody nose.

He moved to the desk and noticed that it was more like a writing desk, in that the materials were stored in the lid of the desk, or rather, underneath it. He lifted up the lid on well oiled hinges and saw parchments, ink, and feathers to write with. He smiled as he picked up a ring with three keys on it, that was laying on top of the parchment stack. He smiled and closed the lid, he would have to try his penmanship later on while he was here. He blinked before shaking his head, he was actually thinking of picking up a hobby for his stay here, this one thought left him more nervous and worried than any other.

He did enjoy the highly polished finished wood, the top area after the hinge was flat with a bit of a fancy wooden alcove build above the flat area to allow inkwells and quill pens to stay from rolling down the small inclined surface, at the bottom another smooth and polished edge was in place to keep parchment from falling off the desk. He grinned at being able to use something others would call antique, and here, in this world, was just a normal writing surface.

He sighed and moved to Rucksack, he saw that till he could get a proper bookcase, he might as well hide his books and whatnot in the Wardrobe, he saw a small lock on the door as well. He did smile as he took the keys and began to look for the key that might lock and unlock the wardrobe.

He began to unpack and move the pistols into the writing desk, while clothing and the box of books were placed into the wardrobe. He blinked as he heard a knock on the door, and feeling that the castle was safe spoke up as he folded the blood stained blouse, having put on a new one for himself. “Come on in. Doors unlocked.” He called out before returning to placing more items away.

William turned back towards his ruck and froze in shock at seeing something he did not expect. He didn’t have any time to do anything, as the Pony began to actually look around his room. He looked at the bed and sniffed, for some reason this one action caused a pit to form in William’s stomach. After even looking into his wardrobe, having pushed him aside with one of the leathery bat wings. The guard turned back to face him. “I understand you just arrived, but starting tomorrow, I shall be teaching you how to maintain your room to Lunar Guard standards. You have weapons in your room, but no locks, I shall get you a spear locker moved up here.” He turned around to move to the door, but stopped when William moved to the door before him.

“What,” William was shocked at how low his voice was, “Do you mean, Lunar Guard? I am a resident of the Un,” He stopped when the Guard began to laugh, a deep baritone sound.

“That may be true, but you were on the front lines with a nightmare.” He moved to a saddlebag. “I have a scroll drawn up by the General of the Lunar Guard, along with the regulations that allow us to do this.” Here the pegasus of the night stopped and looked at the human. “You are the second being to have walked away from the grip of a nightmare, many others have openly taken their curse and power, letting their dark hearts become darker.” He shivered. “There are stories of lost towns in the wild forests of the last battle of Nightmare Moon and Celestia. Towns that the Nightmares took over to use the chaos to take control of the Nation.” The Pegasus stopped and looked right at William. “That is why we have the laws, The Lunar Guard, and in direct front lines, the Lunar Special Forces are both charged with the protection of Equestria from the forces that go bump in the night, and you, have first hoof experience, hence, and seeing as your nation is in communication silence, we can and will take you on as a recruit.” The pegasus stopped and looked around the room. “Consider yourself with an honorary rank of an Officer, let’s see if you fully earn it.”

The Pegasus left, leaving the saddle bag for him to go through. William sighed and left his unpacking undone as he moved to try and look through the saddlebag. He took the bag into his lap and sat down on the cushioned crate. “Let’s see what you got for me.”

The saddlebag was full of Equestrian documents, and he knew they were written in a language that he shouldn’t even be able to read, yet he mind was telling him exactly what it was he was reading. He blinked and mentally filed away an experiment with Luna, to see if she could read english.

He did remember that earlier, Celestia had entered the room to drag the two of them into talking Equestrian. He wondered, would, or could English become, for a while, a secret code system? he smiled a little as he sorted the scrolls.

He took the next hour or was it two? He was not sure how long it took to finish going through the information, which was brief. It had a rank system with drawings of the different ranks. He also had his conscription papers as well. The way they read it sounded like, he stood up suddenly as an idea passed through his mind and he began to grin widely. He moved to put the scrolls he had been reading into the desk and began to finish storing his stuff.

It turned out that yes, it was everything. He even put the rucksack on the ground and crawled into it, He had a funny feeling that the rucksack, he felt that he might have crawled his entire body into the rucksack. He realized that meant that he could fit more items into the sack later on. He crawled out of the ruck and sat there on the ground in shock. He could end up being a walking equipment train. If the Nightmares were able to gather more. One Rucksack could supply an entire soldier for months on end. He closed his eyes and put his face into his hands in fear and a sick feeling in the bottom of his gut over just how effective the Nightmares could have been, and still might be if they ever captured him.

He got up from the stone floor after thinking for maybe twenty minutes and slowly made his way towards the balcony, and fresh air. he stepped onto the balcony and blinked as his location allowed a good view of the world, as well as the setting sun. He blinked as for a second he thought he heard singing but it was there on the wind and then gone.

He slowly leaned on the railing of the balcony and watched the sun as it continued to set, and strangely he found he could watch the sunset without the sun hurting his eyes. He was amazed at that, and figured it might be something with magic, maybe it was the balcony, he would have to test that out later on by being in the grounds. He stopped and shook his head, that would mean having to be with one of the Princesses, still it would be interesting to ask them some more questions.

The inner musing of his mind distracted him as the moon rose and so, he was shaken back to reality with fear and a bit of jumping in surprise when Princess Luna landed on the Balcony, she looked concerned for a moment before smiling as William held a hand to his chest over his heart and was breath heavily from the fright. “I see thou art at peace here, and willing to drop,” She blinked a little and continued. “your guard to allow one as I to sneak up on you.” She opened one of her wings and beckoned him to walk forward, she placed a wing around his back and used the other wing to point to the sky. She opened her mouth but a yawn took hold and before William could do anything, He found that Princess Luna was swaying and then fell more and more against him. The surprising shift in weight against him so suddenly cause him to stumble and step back only to stumble and fall onto his back while Luna fell ontop of him. His hand pressing against her side, her wing covering his body. It was here that he realized just how big an Alicorn could be, and this was the little sister. William knew that standing up, he had to look up to Luna, her head, one head taller than him. That made Twilight about the size of to his chest area. He didn’t even what to think of the size of Celestia in that case. He was getting tired already of trying to keep Luna from falling fully ontop of him and crushing him. She was heavy just from the size she was.

He heard the door of his room open, the guard must have heard the noise. He was in the dark, and he was losing feeling in his legs as they were pinned under Luna’s stomach area. He feet he felt were exposed, Suddenly their was shouting, muffled by the wing of Luna over him, which he would later on admit might have been comfortable, but at the moment oppressive to all but the silence, he could hear his own breathing, but he felt almost as if he was in the night sky itself. In fact he thought he could see the stars, and then the balcony, and, oh there was that Guard that talked to him earlier that dropped that bombshell he was going to be conscripted into the Equestrian Military, what is he doing in Luna’s sky?

He blinked as he realized he was able to breath, Luna’s weight was off him and his arms collapsed like jelly to his side as he began to shake a little. The guard shouted something to another pony and he was enveloped in a purple like glow as he was lifted up and placed on top of the bed. He blinked as he realized that Twilight Sparkle was in the room, along with Rainbow Dash, and, was that Spitfire? He thought he caught a look of Princess Celestia’s mane but it was gone. He blinked as the Guard, the rank he saw denoting him as a Sergeant Major looked down on him.

“What happened?” He asked, his tone stating it was a command question.

“I do not know Sergeant Major, one moment she acted like she was going to show me some of her stars and then,” he didn’t have to finish as the guard now was smiling and laughing a little. William must have shown confusion clearly on his face as the guard spoke moving his bat wings.

“I was wondering when she was going to fall asleep,” he looked around, prompting William to look around, Twilight, Rainbow, and Spitfire had all left, in fact the only ponies left were all wearing Lunar Guard armor, “You see,” he began again, “She’s been up three days now, and with that little stunt she pulled on you.” William felt the bat wing poke him, he realized that they were strong, and they can hurt when used to poke something, “She exhausted herself. She should be able to lower the moon in the morning, but after that, she is going to be sleeping all day, So,” He looked around. “I’ll get you some guards to show you around, you got a meeting with Princess Celestia tomorrow, hopefully some more... presentable uniforms will be ready for you by then, but you are to be with the Princess while she meets with the Military Diplomate from the Griffin nation.” He looked at William right in the eye. “Baron Blueblood appears to have leaked your position to them, and they are throwing a fit that Equestria is getting an unfair advantage with an alien.” The guard turned to the room.

“All are dismissed.” He turned to William. “Get some sleep,” He left the room, and William to his own amazement, slipped into a nice peaceful rest, at least it started out peaceful.
> Day Court
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

	William found himself in a very confusing spot. He couldn’t remember what was happening moments ago, but now he was in some kind of stone-walled room. There were tapestries that were shrouded in shadows and a fireplace allowing illumination; the only source of light. At least that was so until another figure appeared.

“William?” The being asked, a golden light shining from all around her, “What is this? Is this something Luna is doing?”

“I am sorry, but Luna cannot make it. She is in a deep sleep due to over-exerting herself,” A male voice called out and stepped out of the shadows. The form soon took on a golden magical aura, the same color as Princess Celestia, “Your majesty, I wish to convey that I am truly sorry I have failed in Project Dawn,” he bowed his head in sorrow.

Princess Celestia only smiled, and to William’s bewilderment, he saw a wing move and lift the head of one of her guards up, “You have not failed. If anything, you have allowed myself and Luna to prepare for any more human incursions into the lands of Equestria,” She looked at him a little more sternly, “But I doubt you are here to apologize for this.”

The guard only nodded his head and regained his composure, “Of course, your highness,” as he turned to one of the tapestries. It seemed to have the shadows burn away revealing a small quaint village. The name on the bottom was written in Equestrian, but William could read it. ‘SUNNY TOWN’ was written in Equestrian capital letters. The room seemed to drop in temperature.

“What of this, Knight Light?” Celestia spoke, “That was sealed away shortly after Nightmare Moon’s banishment to the moon.”

Knight Light only nodded his head and replied, his voice a little hoarse as if scared to speak the next words. “I- I was transported to the land of Nightmares with the other mages, who accepted and embraced the Nightmare’s gift. I was able to flee, but due to the magical influx and the teleportation of one human,” he spoke the next part as a professional soldier, “Sunny Town broke its seal and is re-emerging in the Everfree Forest as we speak. I give it four days before they can launch any attacks upon the surrounding countryside and any of the towns closer to the forest.”

The change that overcame Celestia was stark, but short. William saw a look of dread, horror, and fear. She quickly returned to her normal stoic look, an action which became easy for her due to the amount of practice she had, “Why get William involved?”

Knight Light only smiled, “Because you can alter the magic of his weapon. It was designed to plant seeds of nightmares, but I know how you are. I was protected by your magic, hence my more ‘golden’ glow, your highness,” his eyes flicked to William. Seemingly in this dream world, he knew he had said that, for his benefit and not Celestia's. Still, he remained silent while Knight Light continued speaking after he paused.

“You can change it so that it attacks Nightmares; so you can use him to start really hurting them and not risk the Elements protecting any other ponies and to keep the world safe from the threat of an eternal nightmare,” he sighed and looked up suddenly, “I am sorry Princess, but my time grows short. I shall leave you and the human a final gift in his rucksack in the morning; something personal to show that he can be trusted.”

Knight Light closed his eyes and suddenly the room began to glow brighter and brighter, overtaking all other sights save for two: Celestia and William. She looked at him blankly before she too faded from the white light. Moments later, William’s eyes opened in shock and he realized that it was just after dawn. The sun was already rising and as he adjusted to the light, he saw another figure leaning against one of the walls. A stallion with dark armor, pupils like those of a reptile, no, of a dragon, and bat-like wings. It was the stallion from before, seemingly waiting for William to wake up.

“Welcome back to the living,” he paused at the sound of his door opening rather forcefully. There in her royal regalia was Princess Celestia. She gave the Lunar Guard a single look which commanded him to leave the room.

She turned and closed the door after him, locking it and placing a golden shine over the door, and the curtains to the balcony. Only then did she relax a smidge and looked at William. “What happens here,” she began, “is not to be mentioned to anypony. Not even my sister.” she seemed cross with the human, “Get out of bed, and open your rucksack. I need to see what Knight Light left you.”

William only blinked and nodded his head as he got out of bed, wearing the ACU undershirt and some boxers. He was a little embarrassed at having to be underdressed, but Celestia’s tone of voice showed that he was to do these actions right away. He walked to the wardrobe and opened it up, pulling his rucksack out and placing it on the ground. He slowly reached in with both hands so he wouldn’t hurt himself. He felt the metal components, but he was a little confused. It felt like a different weapon. He sighed and pulled it out of the rucksack, turning it vertically. The scary part to him was that he didn’t know which end was pointing up.

He was happy to find the buttstock being the end pointing up, and not the barrel. He slowly pulled it up and found a black coated weapon with an ammo pouch, but on the round ACU pouch that hung underneath the receiver. William could see that it was loaded with a belt already. He also saw the marks of Celestia and Luna were inscribed on the ACU camo. He placed the weapon on the stone floor and spoke as if recalling a memory. It also helped that the weapon’s field manual was tied around the barrel, still in its plastic wrapping. “This is an M249 Machine Gun,” he sighed and looked up at the ceiling.

“This room is sealed, so you may vent if you feel the need,” Celestia spoke calmly. She didn’t bat an eye as William actually screamed at the ceiling. Unbeknownst to him at the time, Celestia could read his body language. At the moment, there was nothing but a raw release of emotions.

Soon the yelling turned to words, “Why can’t you leave well enough alone? I didn’t want this. Is this fate? Irony? I don’t want a SAW, I have enough firepower to harm enough ponies as it is. Why!?” He let out one last wail, then slumped down and remained silent. He showed that he really was a cadet; a cadet who was in way over his head being the only human representative in Equestria.

Celestia only smiled as if this was something she had dealt with many times in her past. “Now, do you feel better?” William only nodded his head slightly, looking a little nervous at the outburst, regardless of whether or not Celestia was content with it, “Good, shall we get you dressed in your ACU’s and have you conduct a morning PT inspection of my guards?” She asked as she took the weapon in her magic, “I believe  I shall spend my morning reviewing this weapon and the magic my guard Knight Light cast on the weapons’ ammunition. I shall return it to you later, but hopefully this will allow me to give it a good use now that we both know they are poisonous in more ways than one,” She lowered her magic force field around the bedroom door and left. Her horseshoes leaving a distinct click-clack sound on the polished stone floor. William slowly rose and went to open his wardrobe. He quickly pulled his ACU’s and boots and got dressed. It was then that he wished he had his own Physical Training uniform.

The human was quick to get ready. Once the last boot was laced and the shoe laces were tucked inside, he got up from sitting on the cushioned crate and followed Princess Celestia out the door. He followed the alicorn as she lead him through stone hallways and down a wide stone staircases to a part of the castle that he never saw on the show. Upon reflection, the sight before him began to make sense; a courtyard, in which what had to be the princess’ Royal Guards were exercising.

William could see what he considered was a battalion in strength in the courtyard. He slowly also realized that this courtyard was connected to a two-story brick building with thick walls and a tiled roof, topped with a few turrets around the edges.

He figured these towers were where pegasi and unicorns would launch spears or other weapons from. He was impressed with the defenses of this building which was within the castle, making him realize that the castle was designed - at least in his mind - so that guards could retreat from the front lines while still maintaining the defensive control of the castle. Amazed by the sight, William didn’t notice when Celestia had left him all alone watching the un-armored guards doing many different things, all of which were pushing some of their limits. He could see some pegasus guards flying around in the sky, while others ran around the ramparts of the inner courtyard, and the unicorns lifting rocks of differing sizes. William had seen everything from wing-ups, to using wings to pull their bodies up over poles, amongst other things. Some had what looked to be parachutes harnessed to their backs. All of this, while looking busy was very coordinated and like any physical training, those inside the training knew what was going on.

He saw that the Unicorns were not just picking up the heavy rocks, but that they were working on a set routine as well, most likely flexing and building what he assumed was their magical tensile strength. He could also see some of the other unicorns running around the ramparts with a few pegasi.

William felt like he had come in at the end, for only twenty minutes later a whistle was blown and the multi-colored ponies were moving back into a huge formation. The sun was now fully up and many of the guards were looking tired, but were all smiling and talking to one another, or at least patting a fellow guard on the back for a job well done.

William was too far away, but he could tell that their commands were being followed, however he heard nothing, most likely due to soundproofing spells. He only saw controlled movements as the ponies left, some going back into the barracks and others heading through some gates. He was on a tower rampart watching all of this in mild wonderment.

He turned around upon hearing one of the heavy doors opening and only widened his eyes at what he saw. It was a creature of many different limbs and body parts from many different animals.

“Oh,” the voice spoke, and he was shocked at how similar it was to a certain actor back from his own world, “So you are the new creature that Luna has been keeping in her tower. I must say, she was the fun one of the two, but then that dreadful business of going insane and what not - not my doing - rather dreadful if she won. I wouldn’t have had any ponies to have fun with,” He blinked and looked at the human with a tilt of his head, “You seem rather scared of me. Why is that?” he asked as he leaned down and looked right into William’s eyes, “Hmm...” He recoiled as if hitting something before frowning a little bit, “Nightmare taint, no wonder they’re keeping you within the castle grounds. Tsk tsk. No matter, I guess I should introduce myself. I am Discord, God of Chaos.” he spoke snapping his tail as he bowed low, his clothing revealing himself to be a Four Star General with a lot of ribbons and Medals on his chest.

William blinked and ground his teeth, ignoring the question that flared in his head of how he knew what a four star general looked like; not to mention he didn’t know what was going on. He knew Discord had struck a nerve which made the God of Chaos laugh at the expression on William’s face. It didn’t last long before he couched and a spout of butterflies erupted out of his mouth. When William could see again, he saw Discord back to his normal self, “Now then,” he also was holding a scroll, “I am to bring you to Celestia for a breakfast, where you will try some of the cross-over pony foods while she tells you what she found. Also, love the uniform. Very vibrant and chaotic patterns.” He complimented before snapping his eagle claws together and the two vanished in a flash of white light.

William was blinded by the light before he could see, but he heard voices. One he recognized as Princess Celestia, but the other two were not familiar at all. He was trying hard to get his sight back, only to realize that he was not recovering; all he could see was pure white.

“Discord,” A rather stern tone of voice came from Princess Celestia, “What did you do to him?” There was concern in the voice.

“Why, my dear Princess Celestia, I only blinded him from your beauty and brightness,” His voice dripping with sarcasm, “I only thought it wise that he not see your other guests as well.”

Celestia’s sounded very unamused, “Give him back his sight. It would only be a matter of time before he met these two. I am actually shocked that he did not meet them already,” There was that sound effect again -- the sound of something being snapped and suddenly he could see.

He smiled at the sight; it was similar to the room he had been in the day before, only it was in the motif of the sun and not the moon. At the table sat three ponies -- Princess Celestia, a grey Pegasus with a yellow mane and tail, and an earth pony with a light brown coloration and a dark brown mane and tail. He didn’t think much about it until he realized that the earth pony was looking at him directly and a little funny.

The grey pegasus looked at William as well before smiling brightly, “I like him, Doctor. He looks nice.” William just blinked as something clicked and slide into place.

“I concur, Derpy, but why would we have a human military man? I thought for sure Earth would send a scientist first or...” he trailed off quickly and couched into a hoof. “Hello Earth human, I am the Doctor.”

William blinked before he finally spoke, “Uh, William Howard, victim to the Nightmares, and... currently trapped here in Equestria for the time being.”

Derpy only smiled sadly. “Don’t worry, I am sure you can make great friends, The Doctor did and he is always running around being chased by things,”

The Doctor only nodded his head, “Of course, and I wouldn’t be able to without the help of your brilliant mind there,” He smiled and seemed to not notice the slight blush on Derpy’s face, “Anyway,” The Doctor continued, “You mentioned the Nightmares. The same Nightmares as in those being that can take control of one’s body and make you a prisoner in one’s own body? Or are you talking about those things that plague your mind and are all make-believe and what not?”

William shivered and lowered his eyes. “The first one, but you should know that because you visited me while on the moon and...” William paused and shook his head. The memories were horrifying. The Nightmare had tried to steal the TARDIS, or at least to posses the Doctor.

Derpy looked at the Doctor and William, “Wait, you were on the moon too? I thought the Doctor and I were the only ones that visited the moon while...” She shivered at the memories.

The Doctor was looking at William. “Not really, Derpy. If what I can understand, Derpy, take a look at our guest,”

Derpy looked at William with one eye and then the other and then gasped. “Doctor, Luna’s magic is in his head.”

“Of course it is,” the Doctor replied, “After all, if I can deduce, Luna saved you from the Nightmare that was attacking you, correct?”

William only nodded, allowing the Doctor to continue, “See, Derpy? She left some evidence. Why, if you looked at Luna, I bet you would see whatever it is that humans leave behind in other folks brains,” The Doctor however grew silent and looked at William, “What are you planning to do now?”

William gulped a little. “Uh, eat breakfast, go back up to my room, see what the Lunar Guard wants, and be ready for a meeting with Princess Celestia at two in the afternoon.”

“Excellent. Well, I don’t want to keep you waiting. I think we shall meet each other again, or rather, you will meet us again,”

Derpy only nodded, “Yep, and don’t get scared if I run away from you. Nice to see you in your real form,” She smiled and followed the Doctor out of the doors with a happy grin. William watched them leave before looking at Celestia.

Celestia only spoke once they were gone, “They mean no harm to you, though it makes me wonder if your world knows of time travel or a blue box?”

William looked at Celestia, “The same way we know of your kingdom,” That one sentence silenced Celestia as she pondered what was the implications.

“Was he also a pony?” She finally asked again.

“Nope, he looked like I did but different like every human being looks different from one another,” he shook his head, “It’s complicated,” he finally answered Princess Celestia.

“Very well. Come, eat some food before your meeting with the Lunar Guard. Also, it was very simple to reverse the spells in your weapons. You are now wielding the magic of Equestria and not Nightmares,” Celestia spoke with a smile, “Though in a way, you will be wielding some of my magic. Protect my dear sister; I think she will understand.”

William only looked at Celestia and realized that he was seeing a bit of a big sister moment. Celestia wanted to protect Luna, even though Celestia would never fully understand what happened that night, that terrible night when those mages tricked him into stepping into that circle. The horrors, having to hear that blasted voice all the time, twisting her memories and planning for the destruction of the kingdom.

William blinked suddenly at the touch of a wing on his back and a look of concern on Celestia’s face, “Are you,” she paused, “Feeling homesick?”

William blinked but found the action rather natural. He flung himself at Celestia’s neck and hugged it, “I am so sorry, Tia,” he hiccupped, “I let my pride blind me to what was important, we almost had you imprisoned as we were by another Nightmare.” the human broke down as a few of the servants came out with food only to stop and stare before quickly bowing out and swearing each other to never speak of what they saw.

Celestia was taken aback by the sudden breakdown but realized that this was like having Luna in the castle all over again for those first few months. She shivered at the thought of having a surrogate brother in a way, but still, she had to deal with this, “William,” her horn glowed softly and cast a calming spell on William. It worked rather well as William blinked and pulled back quickly.

“Oh, uh,” He shivered, “That was not fun. I- I almost,” He shivered only to see Celestia nod her head and hear a bell ring, “I am so sorry,” he was beet red in embarrassment.

“Do not be. I am sure that if we do not perform a balance spell, I will have my sister moan about some lost moment of your world,” She saw the door to the kitchen open and her staff come out with some food, “I would like you to try something that I know your digestive system can take. We call it a Guard Cookie, but they like to call them ‘blocks’. It is a meal we serve in the military to feed our troops. It will feed a pony for a day in one sitting, even if there's a battle.”

William blinked, “Uh, thank you,” He didn’t know what to say, but noticed that Celestia was not speaking of more sensitive matters for the moment in front of her staff, “I would like to try that. If it works, I think we might have a means that will keep me alive when my MRE’s deplete.”

Celestia sipped at her tea and turned away, smiling at the comment as if enjoying a little hidden secret before going back to a straight face and looked back at William, “Indeed. Tell me, what would you think if we could allow you a means to travel our countryside without a problem?”

William blinked and looked at Celestia, “Well, that would be interesting.” he admitted as a plate was placed with a inch-thick block of food. It looked like an oversize granola bar to his mind. Still, he was focused on what Celestia had asked him, “What do you have in mind?”

The alicorn only smiled, a smile that almost triggered another memory, but he was able to repress all but the knowledge of what it meant, “You’re not going to tell me.”

Celestia almost choked on her tea before she realized just who he had been interacting with. Once again she was a tad miffed at her sister, giving an alien such a personal look into the ruling government. She still smiled in a way that would unnerve even Luna, “Not now, but you will learn about it at Night Court tonight. That is, if you can handle sitting through afternoon Day Court and all of Night Court.”

William only blinked and nodded his head as he picked up the Guard Cookie and began to eat it, finding it not as hard as he feared, he had bought a novelty item at a Western fort. He had eaten hardtack, and as long as he had lived since then, he had never found an edible substance harder than the slice he got. He found that the Guard Cookie was, as he thought, not as hard as hardtack, but it was tasty nonetheless.

The meal lasted for just a few minutes, and then Celestia moved to stand up and walk to the door, “I shall escort you back to your quarters,” She stopped and looked around the room, “But first, I think I will prevent any more outbursts, especially for the Griffin Diplomates later today. Stand still now.”

William blinked and stood tall and straight, moving to the stance of military attention. Celestia walked right into his line of sight and smiled before her horn glowed a gold color and then touched it to his head. It felt pleasant, then the heat he felt in his head grew ever hotter and more painful. He stood still and waited, but it got worse and worse, until his knees finally buckled and he slumped onto the floor as he hands went up to his head as he grunted in pain.

William looked up in confusion as his eyes watered only to see Celestia’s face showing a pure look of shock, “I-” She stammered, blinked and shook her head. “This was not the reaction I had hoped for,” He shook his head, a look of worry, “Your memories were not taken, but given,” She frowned, “A memory freely given from an Alicorn can only be taken by the same Alicorn,” She was speaking to herself in shock as the gears in her mind began turning, “Luna gave you memories of her time as a Nightmare...” She blinked and her eyes widened, “Of course,” She looked at William and her horn glowed again.

William winced in fear at the glow but found the pain in his head was ebbing away, and he was able to think clearly now. Celestia, with her magic, helped William up to his feet, “I am sorry, but I was wrong in some of my opinions of the memories you have,” She smiled, “Luna gave you those memories so as to give you better resolve to help fight the Nightmares.”

William looked at Celestia, “But I gave her full control of my mind so she could beat it back,” William’s voice had confusion and fear in it, “I didn’t mean to fight over Luna,”

Celestia laughed a little, “Oh but you had to fight, it was your mind. Yes, you gave Luna the helm, but you still had to let her through all your checkpoints and security codes of the mind to let her purge it. Her giving those memories to you, which you only had pure intentions for, were the reasons why letting her pilot for a while was a good thing. Also, I made sure that any memories that might surface, I changed so that you would dream them, and not speak them. At least for today.” She looked at the doors. “I really do not want you falling into another ‘Luna episode’. I think would be a good name to call them.”

William only nodded his head, and he followed Celestia to his tower room, the trip done in silence as both human and co-ruler of a nation were in their own thoughts, at least till Celestia reached the more private living areas of the two ruling Ponies. It was then that she began to speak to William again.

William stood before his door as he listened to the descending hoof steps of the Royal Princess and her royal horseshoes as she returned to start the Day Court. He checked his watched which he had reconfigured to the time of local Equestrian time. It was now Nine in the Morning, and according to Celestia, the Day Court started at nine-thirty, went till twelve-thirty, with a thirty minute lunch by the Princess, and then it picked up again at one, going till six in the evening. After that, She would have meetings with her staff and Deputies. Then it was dinner at eight, and Luna taking over Night Court at nine-thirty. From eight to nine, was an hour that the two Princesses would have to themselves and be sisters. Nine-thirty till Midnight was Night Court, and then Luna would deal with any late night letters, and any military situations that would or could pop up during the night. Celestia left it at that, as she put it, after Midnight Luna’s schedule was a mystery to even her, and she respected her sisters privacy. Something she didn’t do before the Thousand years.

With this thoughts William opened the door to his room, and looking to the left, noting the door to the restroom in the tower, the Castle he learned had indoor plumbing which interested him. He also found that the door to the restroom was ajar and heard sounds coming from it.

William becoming on edge and with alertness slipped into the room, leaving the door as is. Since the voices, while muffled, were not acting like they knew that anyone had entered the main room. He thought to himself as he slipped his combat knife from his leg, anypony, the proper term was anypony. His mind was fearing the worst, so with a deep breath he touched the ajar door and with a yell yanked it open, brandishing his knife.

Only to find himself enveloped in a dark red field of magic and slammed to the roof of the bathroom as his knife was yanked from his hand. His eyes right away focusing on the Unicorn that was keeping him in check. The Unicorn had on the Armor of a Night Guard, the horn and the fur were a light dull grey blue night like color, while the eyes were red in color. Next to the Unicorn was another Unicorn looking exactly the same, both had finned ridges for a mane and the tails were both a lighter color as the main coat. The Armor had that scale like look that wrapped around the what he now realized was the iconic dragonic eye that was over the chest of all Lunar Guards it appeared. He could see that the other unicorn was glaring and had built up a charge of magic, but upon seeing who had startled them. The unicorn let the magic go and the other one slowly let the magic go that was surrounding William, and he floated to the ground, the one holding him even flipped him so he was standing on his feet.

As soon as his feet were on the ground the red magic glow was gone, and the two Unicorns looked at him. “So,” the one of the left spoke, the voice sounding very much like a male. “You are the one that is going to be brought into the guard.” He gave William a look. “Never had one of another military branch join the group, let alone, a one of a kind creature.” He looked back to his partner. “Remind me to file a petition to the Princess to have this clause removed. I would rather make them Honorary members of the guard, Otherwise we will have more cases like the Element holders.”

The second looked back at the other and sniffed. “It’ll be your neck on the line, I am not going to risk the Lunar Sword’s anger with any more of those petitions. You can clean the latrines on your own.”  The other Unicorn he heard was male as well.

They seemed to stare before coming to an unspoken agreement if the sudden sharp nods were to say anything. They both looked at William. The one of the left spoke again. “I am Battlemage Lieutenant Moonshade.”

With a clearing of the throat the one of the right spoke. “I am Battlemage Captain Night.” He looked at William. “Rank and name.” He spoke.

William looked at them and was about to speak a long winded explanation before remembering that the two Princesses had told him to just go with the rank the Nightmares had given him. At least for the moment. “Cadet Captain William Howard.” he spoke moving to attention.

They nodded to themselves. “Very well.” They turned back to face William. “If you would come to the main part of your quarters, we shall begin with some simple tasks, and give you a list of assignments. which for the moment is to just be on guard with the rest of us for the first half of the shift.” Moonshade spoke as he trotted past William back into his room. Night followed after Moonshade and William had not choice but to really follow them. It was going to be a long day, one that if he was banking on Celestia knowing this, he wouldn’t be hungry till dinner, he idly wondered if he would be eating in the Lunar Guard’s mess hall.

“First thing,” Night began, “We are the Lunar Guard, we are a more elite group within the Night Guard, which is similar to the Solar Guard. We recruit, the two of us, from the Royal Guard. The Solar Guard has their own unit like us. They are called the Solar Legion.”

Moonshade spoke. “With that said, within the Lunar guard, we have an even smaller group, these are in charge of Luna’s personal protection, safety, and if needed during Night Court, or during any trips she might take.”

The two smiled. “In fact only those of that group are allowed to wear this armor, while all armor makes us look alike.” they blinked their red eyes with the black Dragonic slit. “We have different armor for the Lunar Guard.” Night picked up. “Their armor while making them look like us, are more like the Royal Guard, with the gold armor, only they have a more whitish grey armor to look like the moon.”

Moonshade took over as they switched in explanations. “Now as for the part you will be working with.” here the two looked disgruntled. “It has been decided that due to your... unique situation, that you will be placed in our group. We are the Moonbeam Division.” Moonshade was not happy sounded, but he still had a gleeful tone as he said the next part. “So if you end up having a Nightmare taking you over, we will be able to destroy it quickly and without having to track you down.”

William surprised himself with how calm he felt at hearing that, but he did smile a little. “As a saying in my world goes: keep your friends close, but your enemies closer.” He smiled at the small joke at his expense, but he realized the smile unnerved the two, as such his smile faded and his face turned to a more flat lined look. “Sorry, but still, if you must know I am just as uncomfortable about this. I am, well, I am from another world. If I ever get back, how will they react that I was conscripted into another military, and guarded their co-ruler?” he closed his eyes. “But I understand why. I faced what is your world’s most dangerous foes, and now, you need to watch me. So this is a perfect place, after all Luna can just seal me up if needed.”

The two looked shocked. “What? but, how did you?” They stopped and shook their heads. he was getting a small idea.

“You are twins aren't you?” He smiled their small daggers they were giving him was enough. “Still, if you do not know how or why I know, I guess you don’t need to know, so I will say no more. Just as I know you have secrets you will not tell me. So shall I.”

William inwardly smiled as he saw the two others smile. Moonshade spoke with a slight smirk. “So you are loyal to your nation, with what we have been hearing it sounded like you were going to sell it out to us for an easy life.”

They both cowered as William flew to his feet with his face a bit of anger in it. “I would never do such a thing.” he voice boomed. “How can.” he took a breath to try and calm himself. “I would never, I never was trained, so I don’t know what to say and not say, I mean even things I know about as just a citizen could changed your thinking and,” he paused and sat down and sighed as he closed his eyes as a wave of homesickness passed over him.

After five minutes, the three members of the Moonbeam Division began again with their discussion and two teaching one about what he needed to do for the upcoming night shift.

Meanwhile in the upper regions of the Lunar Tower. Princess Luna slept in a large four poster princess bed with dark blue curtains and canopy, which to only her eyes had seen the bottom of the canopy, the part that faced her eyes. On it, stitched into it with glittering threads that her sister had made and kept safe for her return was the night sky, with every star and constellation. She was happy to have this, as it made her feel safe.

She yawned and blinked as her inner clock told her it was midday, she was still trying to clear her thoughts. She however blinked and found that her silk pillow was wet, it took a moment to understand why and she knew, she remembered, it was the reason why she woke up. She slowly got out of bed and moved to her journal. Or rather the one of the bottom of a stack of two journals. With magic she levitated it to her and using a quill pen she began to write the dream she had, or rather as she suspected, A memory from William, a sad and frightening one to her mind. Her eyes flicking to her desk and a small wooden cylinder that was sealed for the moment. She would get to that after she finished writing. She looked at her mental clock and knew that William would be on his way now to meet with her sister and the Griffin ambassadors for their two in the afternoon meeting. She paused before returning to writing in the journal.

The Throne Room was silent as the Griffon Delegation stood on the level ground in front of the two tiered ramp leading up to the Royal Throne of Equestria. Princess Celestia was standing on the small landing between the two ramps, preferring this spot when dealing with the Griffons. She looked at the Delegates and the Ambassador who took the lead of the small group. Celestia noticed they all had on their ceremonial sword sheaths, the swords most likely with the guards at the front entrance.

“Why are we waiting?” The Ambassador asked after another minute of them sitting there and waiting. “Surely we can begin now.”

Celestia only looked at the Griffons. “Seeing as you wished to discuss the reasoning for a visitor of the Equestrian Crown, I felt that we should wait for his appearance.”

“This is a matter of national security and you wish to bring,” he was cut off as a door from the side of the throne opened and out stepped William in a very clean looking ACU uniform. He was also wearing a skullcap helmet with three black circles in a sideways row. All of them touching. The human moved to stand off to the side of the door in an area that the Griffons recognized were for Royal Guards during the open courts.

Celestia looked at William and opened one wing. “William Howard, Cadet Captain in the United States Officer Training Program, please step forward and join this discussion.”

As William approached the Griffon’s all gave him looks of bewilderment and one seemed to rear back as if slapped. This Griffon with a look from the Ambassador spoke. “You dare have a Cadet? A fledgling officer be present in these proceedings? Where is your General?” this question was directed not to Celestia but William. “Where is your Military commanders and higher ups? I will not speak nor have a Fledging be making a fool of his nation.”

William looked at the Griffon and didn’t back down. It might have helped that the two Moonbeam Division members had found him a pistol holster for his Rugar, so he had that now with his K-Bar. “I am it.” He responded clearly. “There is no General, no Field Marshall, nor Sky General for me to report to.” he saw the look of a small respect at naming their highest commanding officer’s title. “When I came to this land. I am it. I have no politicians, no Generals, no lower soldiers, It is only I. I am defacto the full fledge representative of my nation, our military, our civilians, and every other human being on my planet.”

The Griffons gaffed. “Sure, you are just saying that because the Equestrian Crown is telling you to say that.”

William seemed to gather height is he raised his head. “You think I like that? I have training, but nothing for this. I am no Diplomat, so I worry about what I can and cannot say. I have little practical training, all my training is just that, training, no real world experience outside of the laps and training programs.” He took a breath. “My nations government would be having a fit if they knew what and where I was, I am, a citizen, the most unrefined in the dirt person you could find. I read books, I follow my nations politics, I debate with friends, and not really good friends. I argue, I get mad. I have lost my temper, and above all. I am one to call BS when I see it.”

The Griffon Ambassador chuckled. “Honest. Yes I can see you are not a trained diplomat. We wouldn’t admit so many weaknesses. However seeing that you are here, something just have pulled you here.” His eyes hardened. “What was it? Was it a misfired master spell that the Alicorns were perfecting? Or did Celestia’s little pet student mess up from a break down.”

Celestia glared at the Griffon. “I assure you, that Twilight Sparkle would never deal with such dangerous spells unless in a Canterlot University test chamber inside the castle, the type of spell that would have brought the human here would be considered dangerous.”

William spoke again. “Sirs, if it was a misfire, they would have fixed the problem and I would not be here standing here before all of you.” He glared at them, “I am here, and that is it.” he looked at all the Griffons and at Celestia. “I was informed that you wanted me present, yet from when I walked in, you were not wanting me present.” His question was left unsaid, which was it.

The head ambassador looked at William. “I, Proud Beak do hereby with his blessings from the Emperor of the Griffon Empire request that you come visit our nation.”

William looked at the ambassador and chuckled. “Is that all?” he got a nod. “Then I will decline, but for these reasons on which you shall relay back to your Emperor.” he took a breath. “First, I am still getting acclimated to the nations and territories, so for the most part I will be staying near Canterlot for the foreseeable future. Second, I am not yet up for long distance traveling.”

Celestia spoke up. “Third,” her eyes narrowed as she spoke the next line firmly. “He is currently a mark from the Black Suns.” The Griffons blinked and opened their beaks in shock or to protest, but they didn’t as Celestia continued. “As such, there are only a few military that can protect him, and even fewer that can mask him to their spells. If he leaves this castle, he will bring destruction upon any nation that tries to house him, as they will refuse any but themselves to learn his secrets and allegiance.”

The youngest Griffon clicked a claw and the Ambassador clicked his beak, it seemed to be an unspoken mode of asking permission. The youngest spoke. “Are you trying to scare us with fairy tales? You're saying that this mythical group of dark magic users are out to take this human and make them theirs.”

Celestia did not finish or even start before William spoke up. “They are as real as I am, as real as this knife.” He pulled his K-Bar out and held the hilt showing the knife. “I fought their master, or one of their masters in my own head the very night I came here, so DON’T YOU DARE!” he paused and lowered his voice. “Don’t you dare, even try to tell me that they are fairy tales to scare little kids.” His eyes flamed with rage and the pain of fresh battle wounds that the more experienced Griffon saw right away.

The younger Griffon reared onto his hind paws. “You dare to swear such a thing upon your personal weapon?” He blinked and looked at the human. “I do not know what you know of us, but even I know that saying what you have with your weapon is a mighty big oath.” He looked at him. “Are you willing to continue? To stand by what you have said on your word upon your weapon?”

William looked right at the Griffon. “As a Human and as my greatest weapon is our tenacity and ability to think of new inventive ways of winning in the midst of a battle, yes. Yes I do say that what I have seen and dealt with is real. For I had to use my greatest weapon, my intellect to defeat the Nightmare Master.”

Those two words that title seemed to hush the room. The Griffon’s all looked at William wided eyed. It was the Ambassador who spoke softly now. “You, that name. that is a very hushed name in our kingdom.” He looked at William. “Only one other has the gumption to even dare speak that name with the tone you have, and she...” He looked at Celestia. “I had hoped you would be more, open to our ways then your sister, she would have thrown us out. For she made it known by letters last night before she rose her moon that she would not even take my questions on the human.” he looked at William. “I understand now, and in a way, I wish I did not push.”

The other Griffons were dumbstruck, even the one that had taken to arguing with William. He just was blinking as if trying to restart his mind. “You,” his face suddenly went to one of rage. “How dare you, do you even know what those words mean?” It seemed that the hot blooded youth of passion had erupted now. “You dare use those words, those words that are, what do you know of this Nightmares?”

William didn’t even backstep or rear back, he only leaned forward and looked right back at the Griffon. “Only that the Nightmares still see some of the Griffons, those touched by the black wings to be their vanguards from when they rallied against Nightmare Moon after her forced retreat from Celestia.” His words were backhand effect to the Griffon and it was only then that he noticed that the youth had a trailing edge of black feathers, however it didn’t cause much remorse. He looked at the Youth. “I can hold my own, and I did, I will make sure to never force a nightmare to collect on any debts in this land.” He flipped his knife and accidently cut himself in trying to sheath it. But to the Griffons, it just looked like he had cut himself on purpose upon issuing a promise that he truly meant to live up to to his best abilities.

That one moment, while an accident to William and a purposeful action in the eyes of the Griffons, seemed to calm the harsh mood in the room and the Griffons smiled as they looked at William. “We will hold you to your words human.” The Ambassador spoke before making a screech and the group of Griffons turned and left the throne room.

William sighed and looked at Celestia who just blinked, then smiled. “I must say that you handled that rather well, but I am afraid you left me with little to say.” She looked at the Griffons leaving, “But I think it was not really them wishing to see me poster, but the new military officer, to the Griffons the Military means a lot, and what you just did there, while stuttering and far from a perfect military diplomacy exchange in Griffon eyes, they know each Military is different.” She looked at William. “Congratulations, if you keep this up, Your United States will have two nations that will be willing to trade with it.” She paused. “When the time comes.”

William smiled before winching as he finally felt pain and looked down at the wound in his hand. “Shoot.” he yelped. “That isn’t good.” Before he could try to get as something to stop the bleeding he felt his hand go warm as a golden aura surrounded the hand. “Princess?”

“Call me Celestia for the moment.” She muttered softly, “I am sorry you hurt your hands but do not worry, as from when I healed your broken nose. I know magic can heal you.” She smiled as she let his hand go and he saw his hand was healed with a tiny scar along where the knife had cut himself.

He looked at Celestia, who only shrugged with her wings. “The Griffons will expect you to have a scare from your promise, so I left a scar, also as a reminder to be more careful with your tools of your trade.”

Celestia looked up into the ceiling and smiled. “I think I shall dismiss you and continue with my day, you may take a nap, or explore the castle barracks.” She looked down at him. “But remember you cannot leave the castle itself, and be ready for Luna’s court tonight. Be early, as she likes her guards milling around their areas doing nothing then racing to get to their posts.” She smiled and William was shocked that she had told her a small way to get more on Luna’s good side, then again he mused, he was going to be working closely with Luna so that was a good thing. William saluted Celestia, turned around in an about face and left through the door he came through.
> Night Court
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Princess Celestia settled down at the dining room table for her dinner. She looked at the clock ticking away on the wall and then to the windows showing the inside courtyards of the castle and the gardens. The windows glowed from being enchanted with ballistic resistant shielding.  She smirked at the memory of having let loose the Night Guard's entire military might to prove that point to Luna. She still found the act of seeing boulders crash against the windows rather amusing during the testing process. This self reflection ate up the time until Luna entered the room, looking wide awake and ready for her Night Court duties. A perk Celestia found enjoyable, as her sister would usually come in yawning. It meant she had woken earlier and had worked on something before dinner.

Celestia smiled as they sat down at the table, both beginning to eat their normal meal. Luna was eating breakfast food for dinner, which was a normal occurrence. She waited till the wait staff had left before speaking. “Luna, what are we going to do with our guest?”

Luna only had a small smile, “Well, I have a thought Tia, but it will require your cooperation and a little of Discords as well.” She picked up a fork and swung it in the air as she spoke, using the magic to trail behind the fork creating an image. “Seeing as we cannot keep William inside all the time, it is okay so far, but soon he will get restless, and, well I was thinking on using a major spell work to disguise-”

Celestia cut Luna off. “Are you sure? Because we cannot always recharge it.” She paused, “However Twilight can, and, with the events.” She trailed off but swallowed knowing that keeping secrets had been part of why Luna had gone to the Order of the Black Suns. “Luna, one of my guards, contacted William and I last night, as such, William needs to head to the Everfree Forest to deal with-”

“Nightmares.” Luna finished for her sister. “I could feel them when I woke up. They are gathering and tomorrow during the day, or the day after, but never hit them at night dear sister, daytime will be the best time to hit them.” She shook her head. “Still, we should think ahead, this is just one small step. The Nightmares will know of his existence, but if we can create something to hide him.”

“Luna,” her older sister spoke with a weight of ages in her voice. “We can hide him, but how can we craft a believable story?”

“He is a Nightguard that is on leave due to events that happened in the Everfree Forest, and working on recovering memories and motor movement.” Came Luna’s response so fast that Celestia realized she must have been working on it. “Simple, not too complicated, that the rest can be hidden in black ink and the term I have grown to love. Classified.”

Celestia closed her eyes. “Just be careful sister,” Strain evident in her voice. “Over using it might cause a backlash.”

“I only use it to annoy those that seem to think that all the words I speak are lies and coverups for thee dear sister.” Her voice growing annoyed. “It appears that my court has become a joke among the aristocrats for drawing all the Lunatics to their patron court.” To Celestia’s confusion there was not the bitterness she thought she would use, but an enjoyment?

“You enjoy this?” Celestia's disbelief heavy on her voice, “I thought for sure you would not be pleased at the use of your name to the root of a-”

“Sister,” Luna spoke raising a wing in a gentle comforting manner, “I see it as a constant reminder of what I did and to never go down that road again. If anything, I wish to try and set right all the Lunatics in the world if I can. If it means listening to their tales and beliefs, so be it,” She laughed a little as the meal arrived.

The time was spent talking of the day and after the dishes were cleared away they still had easily half an hour left of their hour-long dinner. It was Luna that returned to the first subject, “I say tomorrow night we give William his guise and backstory, the sooner the better. My guards can slip in papers during the filing of the coming conflict with some extra forms with enough black ink to keep all but a few from digging deeper.”

Celestia only nodded her head. “Sister,” her voice going to a more serious manner, “I know you know as I do, that something like this cannot pick a Pony species, as thou knowest, from when we were younger and we used it on ourselves to watch our subjects from within, I was a Unicorn and you a Pegasus.” She paused a little. “Tell me honestly, do you have a preference for William’s form?”

Luna blinked and blushed as she realized the answer. “To be honest my dear sister, I do, I, was it obvious?” Luna asked looked at Celestia with a confused look.

Celestia only gave a very neutral expression. “I figured you would, as you gave much of yourself to his mind, and he most likely gave to you. I also have seen that he showed a little bit of a pegasus stubbornness with the Griffons, so I want to warn you sister, you may get your wish. But be careful, I do not want your heart broken by undue attention or affection that is misplaced due to that of two survivors of a war getting by.” Her eyes stung a little before looking at the clock and the sun slowly lowering in the sky. “Come Sister, let us retire to the Balcony to do our duties for the day and night.”

Luna only nodded her head with a small smile, happy to have to not think about what her sister had said about William and her. “Sister, if anything, I think what you see is my curiosity, after all he has so many technologies that our own scientists never dreamed of, if anything, it might be that I would like to know more of his world.”

Celestia only shook her mane with a wicker. “Very well Luna, I will trust you with this. It seems you have already done and know more of what to do, and I am happy to give you these responsibilities, you are more than ready to head your own personal projects for the Kingdom.” Luna caught the look of a pleased smile from her sister. That small look was enough for Luna to know her sister trusted her with this.

The two sisters left the dining hall and moved to one of the empty balconies, one thing that the two sisters joked about was how many ponies thought they would raise or lower their celestial bodies from some special balcony, or some special ceremony. The two had really only done the ceremonies for their subjects sack and even then, they would do it once a year. Any other time it was just another small duty and they prefered to work their celestial magic as a team.

Their tasks done for the evening the two sisters parted with hugs to one another, Celestia going to sleep, and Luna moving to work her Night Court. Luna smiled as she made a quick check into her personal lounge she uses while resting or getting a drink of water between petitioners. She smiled at the small surprise and moved to the hallway that was used by Royalty and their guards. There standing at a relaxed stance was William dressed in a clean pair of ACU’s with two guards that she knew was William’s escorts around the castle.

“William, my guards, I require thee for a moment to attend to the lounge.” Without waiting for a response she turned around and began to walked back to the lounge. The two guards seeing William actually standing still looking a little lost quickly pushed him forward to follow the Princess.

Luna smiled and opened the doors to the lounge to reveal what she wanted to show the three guards by her side. Inside Rarity was smiling as she trotted next to a table with clothing laid out. William blinked as Luna pushed him forward. “So as to keep things from being too hard, these will be your clothing for the Night Court.” She smiled and looked at Rarity. “I must admit, Rarity measured you while you and I were out in our battle of Nightmares. So she was already working on some outfits when I came to her for this.”

First thing William noticed was the dark colors, it was evocative of the night sky. The shirt he saw was a Light blue color, similar to the ice cold moon during winter. The jacket itself was black as night. While the Pants were a dark indigo color with a white stripe down the pants outer seem. A few things he noticed was first over the heart was a large badge of a crescent moon that was originated so that the open bowl shape was facing up. On the sides of the moon were wings spread out in the act of flying. While in the dead center of the crescent shape was a wand with a star at the top pointing upwards. He looked back at the two Moonbeam Division members and saw they had the same crest as well.

He saw that on a purple satin sash that would go around his neck was the image of a single Dragons Eye. He had a feeling that had meaning as well. The Last thing he saw on the Uniform Jacket was one medal. He couldn’t tell what it was. But the silk fabric that connected the Metal to the pin was a Moon white with three Red stripes running up and down the silk. The Medal itself had the Mare in the Moon with a sword crossed over the image. He saw on the left shoulder a badge with text on a scroll on the bottom. “Luna Nobis Provident.” Above it, inside a shield with a black background was towards the top, a crescent moon with the opening to the left. Surrounding the moon where a pair of blue wings attached to a horn that was coming from the scroll text. On both sides of the horn three white stars. The edges of the patches were edged with the same blue color as the horn and wings.

The last parts of the Uniform he found were two black shined shoes and black socks. He also found a black tie. He looked at the guards. “Uh, why do I have a dress uniform? While you are wearing your Draconic Armor?” The two guards only grinned a little.

“Because we didn't’ have time to get your measured for a full set. Though even with a dress uniform you get a more ceremonial helmet.” Luna spoke while the guards remained silent with their grins. She pulled something from a cupboard with her magic and placed a dark blue helmet with a nose guard. The top had the finned ridges of what looked to be metal fins. To William surprise the helmet complimented the entire ensemble of the dress uniform.

Luna motioned for Rarity to leave, she paused at the doors. “Men, Help our new recruit into his temporary uniform.” With that the doors to the lounge closed and William was barely able to move before the guards both began to order him to start dressing in the uniform, every moment telling him something new about the uniform, meanings behind it. But it was happening so fast that he was barely able to remember anything. This entire event lasted less than ten minutes but still to William, it felt like a longer amount of time. One thing he did realize was that on the top of his shoulders were his ranks, Officer Cadet.

When he stepped outside, the smile on Luna’s face placed him a little at ease as Rarity floated a pair of white dress gloves over to William. While he was placing the gloves onto his hands Luna spoke.

“I saw the different dress uniforms, and since we don’t have a set style for bipedal members of the Lunar Guard.” She smiled a little. “I took a little of the styles of your Army, and Marines, well the gloves and the need for a sword, but the sword is coming later.”

William paused and looked at Luna, memories of Marine lore he heard from video games and a few movies. “Uh, that might be a bad idea.” he paused, “However as this is your elite guard, they might be flattered as well that you used some of their ideas for the a bipedal uniform.”

Luna only smiled happy at the compliment and turned around, “Come, my Night Court is soon to start, and I rather have you at your post before the first petitioner arrives.” Luna smiled and could sense her guards following her into the throne room. The room had changed from the time that Celestia had held her court. Instead of the moon and the bright colors of the sun. There were the somber colors and images of the moon and the night. She slowly walked up the the only bright object in the court. The throne shone in the soft colors accenting its golden color with the room rather well.

William was pointed to a pillar to stand near. “Now, an image of a Cadet Officer is a relaxed pose, stay alert but stay loose and nimble, that way if you need to, you and push off the pillar towards a threat or throw off trouble makers by making a very sudden move.” William nodded his head and leaned against the pillar, using it as a back rest. He practiced a few times in pushing off the pillar into a more alert pose that the first time he did so, actually startled some of the civilian workers for the court on the other side of the room.

It was then that one Pony entered into the throne room by the two large brass looking doors. He cleared his voice and used his horn on his head to project his voice. “THE ROYAL NIGHT COURT OF EQUESTRIA IS NOW IN SESSION.” He took a breath. “THIS NIGHT, NOVEMBER SECOND YEAR THREE OF THE YEAR OF LUNA’S RETURN.” He then bowed to Luna.

Luna smiled and tapped her hoof on a special spot as it seemed to echo throughout the entire room and beyond. “MY COURT IS NOW OPEN TO ALL WHO WISH TO COME FORWARD.”

William waited while things settled, his mind wondering if he just “heard” November in his head since he didn’t fully learn, but that made no sense, why have November as a month? He sighed and watched as the doors opened to let in the first petitioner.

He blinked as he saw the other guards seemed to tense a little and Luna herself stood taller using her body to intimidate the petitioner.

“Night Mage Starshine why are you here?” Her voice low and irritable. “I thought I told you, I am not going to return the Mare in the Moon image.”

“Your highness.” The Mage spoke, a Unicorn of black. His red eyes shining from the white of his eyes. The dark blue of his tail and mane were flat, but his tail flicked in a manner that information not of William’s understanding made him bristle at the attitude in front of Luna. “I did not come to speak of your charge nor the lack of a mainstay of tradition.” his eyes flicked over to William was poised. “But more to the creature that one concerned Duke spoke to me. As Night Mage, and the highest ranking mage on duty for the night, I felt it was my duty-”

“My sister and I both have checked him out. He is safe, and of no threat to the crown, the city, or your own position.” She added the last part in what appeared to be a long standing feud between the two.

“I was not questioning either of your own standings, but by royal mandate of my station, I am to third party verify that any new creatures are safe, clean of anything that might endanger this kingdom of either sickness or otherwise, and also to test any magical abilities that said creature might have.”

Luna lowered her head in an aggressive manner. “I as Princess of the Night can claim rights to any one being of another nation as a champion. Voiding all that you said. If you wish to push this path, I can push as hard back.”

“What will the city say?” The Night Mage asked with a small smirk. “That you have in your employ a creature of unknown history, recordings, or even myth in your guard and employ? There are those that might without the Ministry of Magic’s seal, could see this as a sign of things to come, that you might be-”

“That is enough.” Luna’s voice remained leveled but the threat and venom in it was enough. “You may proceed but it has to be done, HERE in this court.” She motioned a wing. “Cadet Officer William Howard, on loan from the United States Army till we can return him to his homelands.” She spoke as if announcing an important person.

Moonshade who was standing near him poked his side with a hoof, and William moved to a military stance and marched slowly to the center of the court. His arms pinned at his side as he reached the center of the room. He stopped and faced Luna with a stone still face.

Luna smiled a little. “Fall Out.” her voice hiding a little amusement that William was wondering if he was only catching. William only stepped back and dropped the military standing. “Turn around and face Night Mage Starshine.”

William only nodded and did an about face to stare at the Unicorn, he realized that this allowed him to finally noticed the sizes of the Pony’s around him. Luna was a head taller than him, but here was a Unicorn, he realized with a shiver that bowing one’s head the Unicorn could pierce his sternum right in the center of the body.

“Sit on the ground.” came the simple voice but one that said he was expecting to be followed every single order given. William did just that and sat down on the ground with a grump. “Now, Close your eyes and relax, well as much as one of you guard ponies can relax.”

William only nodded his head and closed his eyes. He took a breath and slowly let it out. He felt the horn touch his forehead, and, and then he was blinking in confusion as he was on his back eyes wide open. He blinked a few times trying to figure out what just happened. he felt something in his mouth and without thinking rolled onto his hands and knees and coughed. He blinked on horror as he realized that blood was on the ground. He coughed again and more came out. He looked up and around, trying to realize where he was. He was in the Court, but the windows were shattered, the tapestries were gone. It looked like the place had been attacked. He blinked and saw the Night Mage standing in the middle of the room with a look of a smug smile. “So this is the mind that the Princesses did not want seen, a mind of destruction.” He looked at the Throne Room. “Tell me Monster, what do you feel on seeing this?”

William coughed and found he wiped his mouth and chin with a sleeve, pulling it back it was a smoky dark images of his ACU uniform. “This is not my mind.” he spoke. The voice actually startled the Night Mage. “I,” he paused and furrowed his brow. “This is the remnants of the ones that tried to enslave me.” He looked at the Unicorn and then to the ruined windows. He stepped forward with morbid curiosity was wanting to look out the window. “The Nightmares, attacked me, and this was the fate if not for help.”

“Help indeed, the Mad saving the Mad.” The Night Mage coughed with a bitter laugh. “I still think that Luna is not fit to lead anything.” The Unicorn blinked as he realized the words were echoing. He looked at him. “How can you pull my thoughts from me? I am controlling this.”

William blinked as he saw the shadows of an Alicorn behind him. “Because,” He turned and there was a Transparent Luna in the ruined Throne Room. “I gave him a bit of my magic in case he was ever attacked by the Nightmares, but this is interesting, I thought you had an ulterior motive, and now I know.” She frowned. “Only it is up to William to tell the real Luna what he now knows.”

“You cannot.” The unicorn shouted. “She is a danger and a menace, we did fine with just one Princess ruling us all, but then came Cadence and now Luna, the mad sister, the Nightmare Moon, how can I know that she won’t go and corrupt the night magics again?”

William spun around. “She would never do that!” His voice echoing through the empty throne room. “How can you blame her for something that was not her fault?”

“She is a Princess, she could have fought it. She wanted it to happen, or did it to herself.” The Night Mage screeched in rage. “Nothing can beat one.”

Luna and William spoke as one, the look of uneasy and terror on the Mage’s face growing at the sheer perfect voice mirror. “We did not know what they were doing, we were tricked and by the time the trick was learned, it was too late, the chains too long and thick to break by one’s will alone. We fought all we could, we cried while the real monster attacked our dear sister and our subjects.” Here Luna’s voice finished. “Do not dare tell us what it is that we can and cannot do.” Her voice while low echoed and seemed to be weighed, so much so that when the echo faded there was utter silence.

The Mage just looked at the two after a minute had passed. “No matter, I have seen what I needed.” He looked at the human, “I saw your world, the turmoil and wars.” He sniffed. “I have all I need to make my decision.”

William looked at him. “What is that?”

“I will not tell you, nor the Princess you both will learn when we release our paper findings tomorrow.” Starshine smiled a little as if pleased now with himself. “Any last words?”

William looked at Luna who only nodded her head with a small grin. “You saw my world? Well seeing as I am once again awake and in my right mind,” he moved to the Throne, or where it use to be and moved a hand and he jerked back in shock as a screen appeared in mid air. “Let me show you something.” he stepped aside and played the Nightmares threats to him. “This all took seconds in the real world.” He explained with a quick nod to the screen as it began to play.

When it stopped the Night Mage actually was smirking. “I must say, that you were hoping for me to change my mind with that? or reinforce what I was making?”

“Nah,” William quipped, “I rather you make your choice knowing a bit more of the information.” He paused from his speaking. “Although, depending on what you publish, I might mention to Princess Luna what you said about her here.”

The Night Mage actually laughed. “See that you do, I don’t care, Princess Luna knows my feelings, she has read through my reports and worries.” He shook his head tossing his mane around. “I will bid you good day.”

IT was with a jolt and a sharp pain that he was back to the normal world. He fell back while seeing stars while the Night Mage turned to go. “I have seen what I need to make my report.” His voice more of a smirk. “Good day princess,” He didn’t even stop walking as he gave the next line, directed towards William. “Monster.” There was a noise that William heard that seemed off but he found himself being set back upright by a Pegasus as he saw Luna barring the doors and standing in the way of Night Mage Starshine. “Princess, need I remind you that baring my path is not something looked upon with joy?”

“Nor will I stand by and let you call humans monsters, they are just as mortal as you and my guards are.” Her expression hardened. “I only remind thee that if thou dost call one of my guards a Monster, need know this only, not only shall there be more complaints and potential rioting that would draw troops away from my dear Sister’s army, but also that we shall not stand to have thee slander our men.” She spread her wings and lowered her head, making a rather scary look. “Know this, if thou dost still call him that, I shall go through the civil courts to reprimand thee.”

Starshine only nodded his head. His face showing he had not expected that response from the Princess. “Of, of course.” He looked back at the weakened William. “Goodnight, human.” The way he said his species name almost seemed like a slur word to William’s ears but he did not do anything, and Luna seeing the trap that was open for her, did the only thing she could do that was smart. She let him leave. The room was eerily silent while more guards were trying to help him up to his feet.

Luna looked to one of the scribes. “Order a chair for Cadet Officer Howard, I am afraid that our, third party friend did not close the connection properly and left our friend,” She didn’t finish as she trailed off, however, the scribes did call out and order a chair. William blinked and looked at Luna.

“Uh,” he began weakly. “Isn’t that against royal standard?” he asked thinking back to royal protocols, mainly from the book , The Prince and the Pauper. Sitting was not allowed in front of royalty.

Luna blinked at looked at William. “I am royalty am I not? If I say for you to sit in my presence wouldn’t then it be that you sit to follow my commands?” She smiled at her logic while William did not wish to argue, he was still trying to catch his wind. He also felt extremely tired from that ordeal. “William?” a voice called out and he realized that he had dozed off.

He opened his eyes and realized Luna was in front of him, concern on her face. She looked at the two guards behind him. “Moonshade, Nightwing, take William to the Lunar Infirmary, it seems that Night Mage Starshine was too hard on him.” She looked concerned and did William catch some fear in her voice?

He blinked he noticed another Pony a Pegasus but he found it hard to think of anything other than a bright white with yellow mane and tail, but he couldn’t focus on anything else. In fact he fell back into darkness in the grip of Moonshades’ magical grip.

The sounds of voices broke through the blackness of William’s mind, shattering any dream he might have been having, which is odd, the human’s mind was invading her mind now. No, he was William Luna Howard Prince ss? of the Night. He mentally shook his head and groaned because that was not right. Americans didn’t have royalty, but why then did he remember raising the moon and falling to jealousy?

The voices grew in volume as it seemed to his, her ears? Were they shouting? he slowly opened his eyes and groaned at the light. “Too bright.” He moaned and the cacophony of sound paused. Then a soothing voice, his voice? No he was a male not a female. But why did the voice sound so familiar.

“William, please be still, I am afraid thou art suffering from a magical backlash, your mind, could not take the rough handling of our Night Mage, a normal Unicorn.” Her voice seemed to be pointed to somepony else. “can handle it, a creature that has never had magic before will not act well, also thou has ruined the organized manner of which his mind was set up, mixing up ours and his own memories.”

William blinked. “Luna? But, I, no, yet I am, but am not.” he rambled as he tried to make sense of his mind. He felt wing feathers touch his forehead. “Hush. All will be made better by morning.” William felt warmth like a warm blanket wrapped around a chill’d body and he soon drifted back into the darkness.

The next thing he felt he remembered was birds chirping nearby and a soft humming. William stirred and the birds stopped singing however a soft voice whispered to his ear. “Wakey wakey, time to get up William.” he blinked slowly letting the light in and squinting as he got his eyes use to the suddenly light. He slowly opened them wider as he saw an interesting sight. Fluttershy was smiling as she sat on one of the chairs, and in a more plush chair was Luna, dozing a little her head tucked to her chest. William’s eyes must have asked the questions as Fluttershy spoke up.

“She watched over you personally and was doing some of her night magic to, well heal you.” Fluttershy whispered, well talked was the appropriate denominator because her voice never rose above the softness. Yet in the stillness of the room it was loud enough to hear.  “I only took over when it became day and,” she shivered. “Some of the guards asked that I come by to help you recover.” She gasped a little in worry. “Oh my, I am suppose to tell Princess Celestia when you wake up.”

She turned to the room only to try and bow as Celestia entered the room carrying a tray of food on it. Mainly salads and fruits. “Please don’t worry yourself Fluttershy, I am only here to give food.” She looked at William with a strange look. “Please know that Night Mage Starshine is at the moment taking a well deserved holiday due to the stress of work, his little emergency report was thankfully intercepted by the Arch Mage.” She sighed and shook her head. “Last night almost caused a stir in all of Equestria, thankfully all will be taken care of.”

She paused as she placed the tray of food onto a table. “Tell me your name,” She asked in a slightly concerned manner. “Any ranks or title you remember?”

William paused as Fluttershy helped him to sit up. “William Howard, Cadet Captain in the United States Army ROTC program. Also on special assignment due to knowledge of the Nightmares as an Officer Cadet in the Lunar Guard Moonbeam Division.” he paused and blinked. “Well, that is the cover story at least.”

Celestia only smiled, and William saw relief on her face. “That is good, when Fluttershy came in, you were raving about how your sister turned you into a strange bipedal being and that she must return you back to normal.” A slight twinge of humor appeared on her muzzle. “I am glad we are past that point.”

William nodded his head. “Are we, still a go for assaulting the,” he make a hand wave that Celestia got was him trying to ask, but at the same time not ruin any security protocols he might not be aware of.

Celestia smiled. “As for the attack on Sunny Town?” She smirked and stretched her wings. “The Elements of Harmony are some of our highest weapons to use, they have the clearance to know.” She dropped her wings a little and stepped closer to William. “As for the attack, Luna said that we can wait one more day. So you take today to rest.”

William only nodded his head and yawned rather loudly causing Luna to wake up with a snort and a jerk of her head. Her eyes widened with Joy. “Oh Good, thou art awake.” She smiled and saw some soup. “Come, I think thou wilt like our vegetable soup.” She smirked a little. “I have heard it is good for those who are not feeling well.” She took the bowl of soup in her magic and took a spoon and tried to feed William before a gold aura took hold of both soup and spoon.

“Lulu dear,” Celestia spoke calmly, but firmly. “William is not so weak as to not feed himself, let him at least eat himself.” Luna at her sister's words blushed and bowed her head. But Celestia only smiled and patted her on the head with a wing. “There now, no need to look ashamed, I guess you were just happy to help another being.” She smiled and looked around a little like she was going to share a big secret. “I did the same thing with Twilight who once studied so long she fell asleep in the library.” She had leaned in to share that tidbit with a smirk. “I forced her to spend the next day resting both body and eyes.” She leaned back a little then and smiled at the smiles it brought to Luna, Fluttershy, and the confused look on William’s face as he tried to imagine that happening to Twilight Sparkle, and succeeding rather spectacular.

Luna looked up. “You think I can take a student someday?” She asked in a sisterly tone of voice. Her eyes pleading to Celestia.

“Well,” here Celestia humm’d. “I think I can let you do better in a few years, with you returning, the new generation will sure to have unicorns focusing on the night, I think I might help set up your own school for Unicorns.”

Luna’s face seemed to just expand with joy and William was positive he heard the fluttershy smile squee sound. He just chuckled and shook his head but frowned as a little a stab of cold ice seemed to settle in the pit of his stomach.

“William, what’s wrong? Are you okay?” Luna’s face was close to his own and a wing touched his forehead.  He looked at Luna’s face and it was the last straw. he reached out and hugged the nearest thing, being Luna’s neck and began to cry. The sound was of deep sorrow and loss that Celestia could feel, as it felt similar to when she realized her sister was going to be gone for a thousand years. She just watched from a distance and Fluttershy made an epp at the sudden move and sound, she seemed to withdraw behind her mane, looking on with worry for William.

It was a while till William was to the sniffling stage of the wet hagrid and messy cry. He hiccuped a little before speaking. “I, I just,” he was on the verge of crying again, the human that was in the Canterlot Lunar Guard Infirmary looked suddenly much smaller, weaker, and rather miserable. “I miss my family.” he finally let out. Before he returned to sobbing.

Fluttershy by now had moved closer and was making small cooing noises  while at the same time also letting it finish its course the entire time a sympathetic expression remained on her muzzle and in her eyes. Celestia had stepped back and just gave space. Luna on the other hoof or hand depending on the side of the species spectrum you were on was looking at her sister in confusion and wide eyed wonderment of what was happening, yet her heart was hurting from the sounds of sorrow. She also found that soon William finally let go of his rather firm grip around her neck. She blinked and when the second lull came she gulped and did something she remembered her sister doing to her after one of her little episodes as a filly, she gave a soft touch of her muzzle to William’s forehead in trying to show comfort.

William blinked and sniffed again before being handed a handkerchief by Celestia that William used to blow his nose, making a rather loud noise that startled Fluttershy. William coughed a little and turned Red. “Sorry,” he began only for Celestia to hold up a wing.

“Losing one’s family, is not an easy thing,” Her eyes drifting rather purposefully towards her sister. “I am just, you have had an eventful few days, and now, it has caught up. For a creature, if emotions are the same, you cared for your family deeply?”

William only nodded his head. “Yeah, I was close to all of them. Mom, Dad, Eric, His wife, their newly born....” his voice hitched and he hiccuped. “Even my Dad’s brother, annoying as he is, Grampa and Gramma.” He smirked a little at memories. “I even miss all of them.” He sighed and found that he was feeling better. “Uh, thank you.” He told the three ponies, well one pony and two alicorns in the room.

They all smiled and replied with different variations of Your Welcome at about the same time. The looks they gave each other caused all four of them to begin to laugh a little. However William did not notice, yet Celestia did the slight Red tinge to Luna’s muzzle during the laugh. Celestia’s face remained joyful but her mind became a little worried.

It was about then that one of the Solar Guards as William knew now walked in and whispered something into Celestia’s ear and she looked around quickly before nodding her head to the other three in the room. “If you will excuse me, I must attend to something, it seems Discord has done a prank and the, well, I have to deal with some punch in the local fountains.” she smiled and took her leave, Fluttershy quickly in her own terms flew over to Celestia’s side, whispering something into the Princess’ ear and after a short nod the two left the room. Luna and William looked at each other before bursting into more laughing at the thought of what Discord had done.
> Debriefing
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

	William blinked and looked over at Luna, his entire body just felt worn out and tired. “Luna,remind me to let only you into my mind. Your nicer to it.” He laughed a little.

Luna blushed a little, yet she did smile a little. “Don’t worry, I am sure if Twilight had to enter your mind or my sister, they would treat it kindly.” She still looked worried. “I am sorry for what Starshine did to your mind, I was able to fix it, and, was able to create a more stable barrier so you don’t have what my sister says we are calling Luna episodes for you.”

William smiled with relief. “That is good, thank you Luna.” He closed his eyes before noticing he was wearing really a cotton fabric over his body. “Uh, I am wearing a hospital gown.”

Luna nodded her head again to the statement, “Yes, since you were going to stay the night, we felt it would not be good for you to sleep in your dress uniform.” She looked at William and closed her eyes as her horn glowed. “I wanted to say that I have something from when I fell ontop of you, you did well in trying to prevent me from crushing you.” She smiled vaguely and William felt their was something else but he couldn’t place a finger on it. Suddenly a large feather popped into existence in front of his face. William noticed it was the color of Luna’s feathers, and he blinked as the feather was plopped on his lap. “While protecting yourself, you dislodged one of my feathers, and seeing as you don’t have a writing tool for when you are in the field, I felt that you could use my feather to help, it has been enchanted to write when you want it to, and the ink will dry so you do not smear it with your left hand.”

William just smiled a little as he picked up the feather, something in the side of his mind twitched in pain and he narrowed his eyes, something about feathers was important, but he could not remember or place it. He was suddenly distracted by the scent of baked goods and cotton candy.

“Hey!” William looked up and saw Pinkie Pie looking at him from the foot of his bed, there was smiling faces of all the element holders even Fluttershy and Discord. Pinkie began to speak again, speaking slowly for once. “I am sorry you are not feeling well so I thought I could throw a get well and welcome to Equestria first human party and I thought that I would only have those that you meet since you are suppose to be a secret.” She smiled a little. “I hope you like chocolate and some punch Discord was so sweet to create a fountain of Punch for me to fill some punch bowls.”

Princess Celestia walked in and the look on her face William caught was of disbelief before a slight smile tugged on her muzzle. “So you are the one that talked Discord into his little prank.” Celestia however smiled a little as Twilight floated a piece of cake in front of her teacher’s muzzle.

“I still do not know how you do this Pinkie. You are the only pony I know that can sneak a cake around the castle without me knowing about it.” Celestia muttered as she took the plate and a fork and began to munch on it.

William blinked as a plate with a perfect slice of cake was placed in front of his face. He noticed that the feather was gone, he blinked and was about to panic when Luna smiled, she had made it look like she had preen some of her feathers during the distraction and their in her muzzle was her feather.

Luna was blushing suddenly worried of what the others might say, like her sister, Fluttershy, Rainbow Dash, or Twilight as they all would know the meaning that, did she really mean that? Or did she finally find a use for her feathers that would make her happy to know that it was helping a pony.

Still the small party was enjoyable, Luna giggled as Pinkie tried to cut Celestia off after five slices of cake, there was some banter, and all in all it was an enjoyable time. She also could see that William was slowly becoming more cheerful from the break down on realizing how far away from home he was. She blinked and she felt that same lonely empty feel, one that she had felt during those few times she was lucid while in banishment, and yet. She coughed and fell back in shock as Pinkie blew a party horn in her face causing her to fall back off her chair causing all around her to break up laughing, this eased her own mood and soon joined the others. She noticed that only after she started laughing that William laughed a little.

William blinked and after the small outburst of laughing he sighed. “Thank you Pinkie Pie. I, I think we all needed that.” He grinned as he was still reeling from the realization of being alone and the lone human in Equestria.

For William the Party wound down slowly and after another few minutes Celestia was the first to leave, and then Twilight Sparkle, followed by Applejack and then Rarity, Fluttershy left with Discord, after asking him to turn William’s nose back to normal and not the red bulb after William sang a little of Rudolph the Rednosed Reindeer. Leaving Pinkie Pie and Luna.

Pinkie Pie smiled and whispered something into Luna’s ear that William saw that whatever it was it made Luna blush a little before it was just Luna and William. Luna smiled and making sure that no one else was around represented her feather to him. She smiled a little. “Once again, thank you.” She whispered with a soft voice.

William only nodded his head. “Your welcome.” In reality he didn’t know why he was being thanked again. He however held the primary feather with a grin. “Uh, well,” He laughed a little but it died as Luna was holding a small notebook.

What he saw however was shocking him. Due to his national flag being on his left shoulder he now saw a small copy of the image of his nation’s flag on the cover, the cover itself was in the motif of his Digis as the nickname was for the ACU’s. He looked at Luna softly.

“Here is your book, it has been enchanted to stay dry, remain intact. It cannot be destroyed. Also as long as you remove pages from the back there is a repair spell, so you will have access to paper parchments if needed.” Luna smiled and opened up the cover, and William saw a strap inside the book to place the Feather pen. Luna levitated the book to him and William took the pen and with a flourish signed his name on the inside cover of the book. Luna smiled at William’s penmanship, she knew it could be improved but for a society that used computers to write, his handwriting was impressive. She also learned his middle Name.

On the inside cover in the upper left corner William wrote his name. William Jefferson Howard, to Luna and the new information she looked at him. “Your middle name, is after one of your founders of your nation?”

William only nodded, before pausing. “Tell me, has anyone named any of their offspring after you or your sister?”

Luna shook her head. “No, but they have named more geographical places, Like Celestia Island, or Lunar peak.” She smiled. “My sister named it that, As it is the tallest peak in the world, and only an Alicorn can really traverse it without problems.” She smiled, I can see you have questions of naming schemes, go on, ask me.”

William looked at Luna and took a deep breath. “Tell me, from the show I know a few names, and to me, the names are, well fitting for their occupation and everything.”

Luna looked at William with a look of joy and merriment as if happy to reveal a part of a mystery. “That is because the mother when giving birth, as a gift from my mother, gives them images of their child’s name. The Mother would write down the images and anything that she can associate from them, and will consult with their husband. A week later at the first meeting of their congregation. They will name their child.” Luna bowed her head. “At times the parents will also name any child that did not live to their first meeting of the month.” Her voice saddened. “Our medical field is getting better but it still is hard to hear of a mother losing a child.” She smiled and looked at William fully in the eye. “For your world that makes no sense-”

William only interrupted, something that her guards were still flinching yet it seemed Luna was smiling as William spoke. “To me, it does not matter, this is your world, with your own rules and costumes. While you have not pushed any of your requirements upon me, what right do I have to place my requirements of society upon your heads?”

Luna burst into some mischievous laughter giggles. “Unless we decide to implement them based upon observation and a sharing of ideas from a mutual spot of trust.” She seemed to be enjoying the sudden unease that William gave her. “No, I have no plans to start a republic, nor overthrow my sister, I did that once, or tried to.” She looked hard at him. “Also it was not to create a republic, my sister left the truth. Eternal Night was what the Nightmares wanted, by having eternal night they could destroy the world, destroy the world and the inhabitants would be too weak to resist the takeover of the pony races by the Nightmares.”

William only nodded his head. “So, just how much?”

“A lot William, a lot.” She replied. “My sister has only used the full power of her crown of authority once, and that was against her sister.” She looked at William. “Celestia and I are long lived, wise, and as such we know that the best policy is to leave enough alone. We let the world run itself, because even some of the best laid plans will have unforeseen events that would make it a terrible disaster.” Luna looked at William. “However, my sister I noticed has been enjoying your copy of your constitution and Declaration of Independence.”

William just looked at Luna with concern. “Have you read them?”

Luna nodded her head. “The Declaration has some very pointed facts against their previous ruler.” She smiled. “I think my sister would have signed it based on the tea alone.” She dropped her voice. “She likes her tea.”

William only nodded, finding it, hard to quantify this new feeling, it was mix of enjoying a small joke, but at the same time, it was making light of one of the founding documents of his nation. Still, in the end he felt that seeing as they didn’t see it how he saw it, he would have to let it go.

During the long time of William’s silence at her joke, Luna actually pondered herself if she did right by making that joke. She did relax when William smiled a little at her joke. One thing that she saw unnerved her guards was how William had taken on what she had overheard as the Night’s ponder. It was a look she got when she too began to ponder many heavy things. This caused Luna to actually ponder herself as well if he had that before, or after she shared her mind with him. She just sat there.

It was with a bit of an odd moment when both spoke at the same time. “I,” They paused and the two spoke at the same time to let the other speak. It lasted only two times before William closed his mouth with a Princesses first.

Luna took a breath. “William, Jefferson, Howard,” Her voice was soft, kind, and showed caring while using his full legal name. “I must apologies if my, joke was uncouth and in ill report with your standings and beliefs. I was not thinking.” She actually looked like a scolded child which made William smirk a little.

“Luna, It was I who should be giving the leeway, you do not know of these documents till two days ago. Nor do you fully understand the weight they have for me. They are, these are some of the few words that I have from my home that I treasure.” He closed his eyes. “They are what my nation was built upon.”

Luna moved a wing to lift William’s head as she lifted her own, the two having bowed their heads respectively to not look the other in the eye. Luna moved to make sure that the two were now looking in each other’s eyes, forcing herself to do it as well. “Those values, don’t lose them. I request all my guards to memorize something that is lengthy that gives them courage and strength, most of them pick the speech of Commander Hurricane upon the push to the new lands from the old during the Windego’s blizzard. But for you, that speech would hold as much meaning as one of my guards reading your Declaration of Independence.” Her eyes narrowed. “I hereby charge you as a member of my guard to memorize that document, and your Bill of Rights. It will serve as your shield from the Nightmares.” Her gaze softened then. “As for this, blame game. I will say this, we both deserve some blame, it will sooth your ego knowing you took some blame, but know this. Whatever pain I caused you-”

“But you didn’t,” William yet again interrupted Luna, and the Guards actually growled at his discorum. William did not listen as he wanted to get out what he was thinking, some, courage inside him pushing him to speak. “I am scared of the ideas that might cause, the problems, ideas used by the wrong people, those ideas, could be used by others to mask a move forward, but as my planet has shown, many men rise to power on that promise of freedom, only to make it a mockery.” He closed his eyes. “Many men pretend to be Democracies but are just dictators misusing power.”

Luna blinked, but she also understood. “You fear that those ideas are or can be used to destroy the nation that has been built by my sister? with I building much of the foundation.” William perked at this, was this one of the causes of the Jealously? Luna continued to talk to William leaving little time to focus on that thought. “Know this. That while my sister and I built this land. We are not opposed to sharing our powers. A pony that shows and exemplifies many traits can become adopted into, or have their house promoted into the Nobles.” She looked at William, “We have the Rulers, at this moment it is Celestia, Cadence, and my own self.” She smiled, “Then there's the Common Assembly that are appointed by the elected Mayor of each town. Also each Town votes for their own representative  into the Senate.” She slowly closed her eyes. “Then there's the House of Titles. This is where Nobles sent their sons or daughters to learn the running of Government and listen to the Common Assembly. Only laws that are passed in both floors can grace the eyes of my sisters or I. Also if we so choose we can suggest our own ideas to either floor.” Luna began to smile deeply as if she was about to reveal a rather big secrete. “I personally like to speak to the Common Assembly, they remind me more of Ponyville then the House of Titles.” She smirked. “Oh, before we end this, their real name is House of Lords, I just use that as that is what the Common Assembly calls them.”

“So, is the Common Assembly a nickname?” William’s inquiry only made Luna laugh.

“No, oh no, they took the nickname that was given to them by the Lords and used it as their own.”

William actually chuckled at that. “Like how we took the term Yankee from the British.” He laughed more fully upon the confused look Luna gave him.


Luna only smiled as something tickled the back of her own mind, something to do with some old records. “So,” She began but found herself hard to think of anything to speak. She did find it a curious word William had used, Lobbyists. “Well, I guess I can give you the Lunar Guard Manual to read while in bed.” She smiled as she levitated a small bound hard cover book over to William’s beside Table. “Please note that this is my guards infirmary, so you do not need to worry about leaving the book around, but anywhere else and you must protect it. No one else is allowed to read this book. I shall return in two hours to see how far you have memorized the first page. As well as to see how far into the book you are.”

William only nodded his head slowly as Luna got up and left him alone to read the book. He however found that he got maybe two or so pages in before a wave of exhaustion hit him, and to him, seconds past but in reality the two hours came and went. Luna however did check on him and smiled a little before turning around. She looked at the Sergeant Major. “Leave him alone, I had to put a sleeping charm on the book to make sure he rested, he is as stubborn as you are.” She shook her head with merriment of silent laughter. “Still, replace the book with a normal one, so he can continue learning.”

The Sergeant Major only nodded his head, “As you wish your majesty,” He paused and chewed his mouth a little even though he had nothing in it. Luna made a move with her wing, indicating he could speak freely. “Why the treatment? You are giving him special deferments.”

Luna paused and looked at the Sergeant Major of the Moonbeam Division and then to William sleeping and back to the Sergeant Major. “I, I don’t know, but I want to say right now that it is because of the war he fought in his mind, and having to deal with some of my darker thoughts at times and the guilt and emotions.” She looked back at William and to her eyes he looked a little weak and frail, yet she had seen, “Maybe it is the fierce spirit of fighting to the point of no return against a foe he could never beat on his own without help.” She turned to walk back, the sun having reached noon now. “I will answer you when I fully know myself.”

The Sergeant Major only nodded as he took guard outside  the door. He looked back at William, a stranger, an alien who had caught the eye of his top commander. He shook his head and returned to standing outside the door and would make sure no one that did not have permission enter the recovery room.

William awoke in his mind almost right away, however he knew something was off right away, for one thing Luna was looking at him with a smile, the book she had him reading was sitting on the table next to his bed. Before he could speak, Luna opened her mouth. “Do not fret, I needed you to rest to fully set into place the binding spells that helped fixed your mind.” She smiled and looked at William, “Now, while I was working on your memories, I noticed something, your world saw the royal wedding invasion, tell me,” She leaned in a little. “Would you like to know what really happened?”

William only stared at Luna with a look that Luna only chuckled, as it was a look she had seen on Twilight’s face whenever she got the chance to learn something new, and she took the expression as the only thing she needed to begin her telling of the Canterlot Wedding.

“First of all,” She smiled a little and looked around before leaning in. “The Mane Six.” She giggled and upon seeing William shocked look and worry, smirked. “By the way, they are being called that in my new security documents for the Night Guards, much better than the old E-Team moniker.”

William just looked at Luna and opened and closed his mouth as if he was a fish out of water. “Well,” Luna hummed as she pulled back. “They knew about Shining Armor, I mean, he did use an excuse to always accompany the Princess to visit Ponyville.” She seemed sad. “Which from what I had heard, was a blast, try being the Captain of the Royal Guard when you have Princess Celestia the prankster, and Twilight Sparkle your sister causing mayhem.” Luna chuckled at some unknown stories of the past before reigning in her laughter and moved forward upon her tale.

“Anyway, yes, they knew Shining Armor, but it was in fact a shock for them, you see, the wedding invite was held up due to security, and since Spike was a dragon, the two letters arrived at the same time. One by regular mail that was postmarked with a date in Shining Armor’s writing three weeks before the postmark from the post office.”

Luna smirked at William’s confused look, “This is important, besides it is rather hard not to remember that detail when Twilight yells at the Secretary who held up the letter, so they could do a ‘Proper’ background check. So, here is where it got interesting, I got to hear them talk about this so this I heard first hoof.”

Twilight was glaring daggers as she marched to the home of her big brother. She was going to confront him, and ask what happened, she also was going to find out what happened to Cadence. She knocked on the door, and after a minute Cadence opened the door with a smile. “Oh Twilight, how are you doing?”

“Good Cadence,” She had deliberately used those words as that was what she always called her foal sitter. “I just got some questions I would like to ask before,” She paused as she noticed her big brother walking up from outside. With a small kick to the door with a rear hoof, She looked around with worry.

“I must say.” Cadence began. “I was hoping you would come sniffing around.” Twilight turned her head and blinked at the strange green glow, this wasn’t Cadences magic. She tried to take a step back only to hear a hiss, Twilight being one to panic a little spun around and, came nose to nose with herself.

She heard laughter, laughter and tone that was most definitely not Cadence’s laughter. She stepped back feeling trapped when suddenly fire began to circle around her, Green Fire to be precise, “What’s?” She began, only to hear her voice speaking from the mouth of the imposter.

“Going on?” The imposter Twilight only smiled. “Why, making sure the Elements of Harmony won’t work.” The other Twilight only began to laugh with the, what Twilight realized was an imposter Twilight as she began to sink down into the ground.

“Hold on, You’re telling me, that the Changeling Queen,” William interrupted with a wave of his hand, “She knew, and had the plans to replace Twilight?”

Luna only nodded her head. “Yes, tell me, if one of your enemies could sneak in, replace one of your most powerful weapon with a dummy or have a way that would prevent them from being used. Would they?”

William only shivered and nodded his head. “She was smart.”

Luna grunted. “And she almost won as well.” She looked at William, “Time is short and I should be napping myself before this evening. So I will cover the highlights for now.” She rose a glass of water with her magic, something that William was still finding it hard to believe but it was happening in front of his eyes, there were rules being applied here, and for a moment he wished he was a physicist like his grandfather, or more into math like his father, heck his brother would be better adapted at studying this.

Luna’s voice cut into his thoughts as she began again. “So, Twilight spent two days in the caves, the first day working to get out. On the second day she found the real Cadence, which she used the Sunshine, Sunshine phrase.” Luna smiled and laughed a little before shaking her head. William knew there was a funny story there but he wouldn’t ask at the moment. “So, they broke out at the last watch my guards have before the Solar Guards took over. I say this because they ran into about five of my guards,” She paused a beat, “Literally ran into them. The sun had just come up, so they roused me from my bed while the guards escorted them.”

My guards were held up when it turned out the guards in front of the gate were changelings, This was a disaster for the guard, having changelings hidden in the guard.” She shook her head. “While Twilight and Cadence went and crashed the castle, and having two Twilight attacked each other, I led the Moonbeam division right into the caves. We, their was a fight underground before we were able to capture what was a teleportation device the Changelings were using to get into the cave system. They were to wait for the dome to fall before flooding out of the cave system.”

William just sat there, even the cliff notes he was getting was changing an event that was big. He just stayed still while Luna finished. “What I saw of the images for the ending is about right. I didn’t want to scare the others with the news of a second wave, so I cleaned up, flew up to my sister and asked rather nonchalantly, ‘What did I miss?’ the look my sister gave me almost made me break my own mask to break up laughing.” She extended her wings. “That,” he finished in a grandiose voice, “Is how the wedding really happened.”

“Well, part of it,” Came another voice and two heads turned to see, Celestia standing in the doorway smiling, she must have been there awhile. “but the events are in the right order, however my sister is right, there is not much time. I would like to speak with you before we change the celestial bodies for the evening if that is fine with my sister.”

“Of course Tia,” Luna bowed her head and left the room, closing the doors. Celestia only looked around before leaning in. “Thanks  to you, I finally know what her barracks infirmary looks like,” She leaned back to a normal stance. “I can see you are getting stronger, let me help you out of the bed and we can walk a little bit.” With the help of some magic William found himself helped out of the bed and began to walk with the Solar Princess. “Tell me more about your world, how do you see your own people?”

William while still walking remained silent. He was thinking, but Celestia paused and held out a wing to stop him from walking. “Your silence tells me your people are complicated, some of your muscle twitches inform me that some of the things you know are not, good,” She smiled at the shocked look of William as he slowly turned to fully look at Celestia, “Silence can at times be just as loud as Luna’s Royal Canterlot Voice, but that is what I thought, humanity, is complicated.” She smiled after that. “I actually liked that, humans have so many political viewpoints, and views of-”

“How-” William began, but a wing whacking him in the face silenced him.

“You may get away with that with my sister, but with me, when I am talking, you shall listen and respond only when I am done.” The tone of voice was not of scolding but of a mother teaching with love a child proper manners. She waited a bit before continuing, “views of the world, and views of each other,” She smiled in that way that William knew from Luna that she was enjoying this, “I know this, because of what Luna gave me when she and I shared information when you first arrived in our throne room.” She paused, and smiled such that it caused William to slowly relax, “I see that answers your question, now, I think you show enough strength to get dressed in your dress uniform and join my men and I for planning for the dawn attack.”

William only nodded his head as Celestia began to lead him to another room to gather his items. While doing so, he wondered just how Earth would handle someone like Celestia? Let alone how would Equis handle Earth, he shook his head to clear his thoughts as he got dressed in his dress uniform and making sure that the items were still where they were placed by the Lunar Guards earlier that day. He walked out of the changing room and looked at the Princess before opening his mouth. “What is today’s date? last I heard it was the Fourth.”

Celestia only nodded her head. “Yes, being in bed and sleeping a lot can change one’s perspective on time. Today is the Fifth.” William only nodded his head before falling into step behind Celestia as they began to travel to another part of the castle. The show never did fully realize how massive the Castle was both above and below the mountain. Right now he had the feeling he was heading towards a room that was more towards the inside of the Castle. He was still trying to come to terms that he was in Canterlot, in a Castle that defied most engineering designs by just existing in reality and that it must have been supported by magic.

“Your highness?” William began.

“I will not answer anything about my own capitals designs or structure as that is still classified material that is not open to common knowledge, only that it can do this, and is safe. It has been perched here for over five hundred years.”

The way she spoke the time made William wonder if she was being vague on purpose with him. He had a feeling somehow that this was much older, but why? He had no real full memories of Luna knowing this, but then why was his gut telling him she was lying? Somehow he remained silent for most of the trip through the halls and so wrapped up in thoughts he was only semi paying attention to the turns and paths he was taking.
> Assualt on FOB Clubhouse
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

	William was now dressed in his dress uniform and as they walked he looked to his left and right and seeing nopony else, he did pause at how he thought that instead of no-one else. He shook his head one thing at a time he thought to himself. He looked down at the medal that was below the image he remembered being part of what the fans had dubbed the New Lunar Republic. Below that badge of being a Moonbeam Division member was the sole medal he had been awarded. A moon white silk with three red stripes running vertical. The fabric was attached to a metal disk of the moon with the shadow of the Mare in the Moon, and across it was a sword.  “Princess.” The words he guessed were serious because she paused in her walk and turned her head.

“Yes?” She replied, looking at him curiously. They were paused in one of the many corridors of the Castle, one one side were windows of glass overlooking the valley that the Castle that was built into the side of the tallest mountain of the ridge of mountains that created one side of this valley. The other side of the Mountains were visible on the horizon. The other side had banners of royal houses of the nobles. William knew some of them, but not all. He blinked and shook his head focusing once more upon Princess Celestia. At the end of the hallway was double doors that hide their destination, or another hallway William thought to himself.

“What does the medal mean? I never got a chance to-” He closed his mouth quickly as Celestia glared at him akin to a mother giving a rude child a mother’s glare.

“That, represents,” Celestia smiled softly, “That you faced pearl and the face of opposition for the protection of the Princess of the Moon.” She smiled. “Luna was very happy to be rewarding that medal, you see, in the guard. It is key to keep your uniform with you and know where it is, and secured. You see, the Lunar Protection Medal, is awarded in secret and at a time when the soldier is not aware of it.” Celestia smiled that same smile that William knew from Luna’s mind was when she was thinking something from good days a thousand years ago. “You are the first person to be awarded it, and the third pony to receive it since her return. The other two happened during the Wedding Crisis.” Celestia turned back to face towards the end of the hall, and began to walk again, dropping the hall into silence.

William moved forward but before he could speak Celestia held a wing up to communicate that he was to remain silent. This left William time to ponder and think. Mostly about how it was that, thanks to Luna he was able to tell so much just by body language, for all he knew, without what Luna had given him it would have been an invitation to speak more. Instead he realized that it was a blessing, a blessing that he was very grateful for as it allowed much easier communicating with the world in general. 

The rest of the trip from where they were standing to the double doors was in silnce and still silence as Celestia opened the doors in her golden magic and there behind the doors was a room the like of which William could only describe as a mess between science fiction and fantasy.  The fantasy was that the room was full of the three pony tribes all wearing armor that reminded William strongly of the Roman Centurion. The room was paneled richly with banners of what William felt were more of Military Units then Noble Pony clans. It helped that they had images of strength; swords, shields, and etc. The Science Fiction was that their was a round oak table that upon it was a three dimensional map of  Equestria. He saw the towering mountains of Alicorn Mountain. He saw the name of the mountain hovering over the castle fortress. All the guards snapped to attention as Celestia moved to take the head of the table. For a brief second William felt as if he was at a table of knights. Celestia spoke as soon as she sat upon a cushion. “General, please, begin.”

“Of course your majesty.” The unicorn bowed his head and turned to look at the map. William noticed that Shining Armor was missing from the meeting but he returned his attention back to the General as he caused the map to zoom into the north. “Shining Armor is unable to reinforce us as he and the Crystal forces are dealing with a small band of rogue Frost Dragons. The Crystal 1st, 2nd, and 3rd Battalion are held up, along with the 10th Mountain. They also will be unable to deliver their 1st and 2nd Artillery Companies.”

Celestia only nodded. “Very well, I hope you have sent what we can to bolster his forces.”

“We have the 6th and 14th Canterlot Volunteers already stationed in the Capital city for protection of civilians.” The General finished. The Map moved back to the Castle proper, where in a stylized courtyard off to the side had images began to appear as the General mentioned them. “We are mobilizing the1st Equestrian Battalion who will be in charge of securing and protecting Ponyville proper. The Solar Guards will be fielding the 1st, 2nd, and the Sunray Divisions for attacks upon the Nightmares base. We also will have the Ponyville Volunteers mustering as we speak, as well as the Canterlot 4th Artillery. We are also mobilizing the 1st Wonderbolt Wing for combat. The Elements of Harmony will be on standby,” he paused before looking at Celestia, “With your permission.”

Celestia slowly nodded. “Yes, I fear they will be needed for the sealing process, keep them in Town Hall till they are needed.”

“Of course your majesty.” the General bowed his head slightly again. It was here that William noticed an uneasy look in Celestia’s face and he had a feeling that Luna was the main military commander, he wondered why but found his thoughts pierced again when the general finished. “We will have attached to the  1st Equestrian Division the 2nd and 4th artillery units, we are authorizing the deployments of Mortars and all pounders.”

Celestia only nodded her head as the map moved to the Equine Valley, William saw the map of Ponyville and Sweet Apple Acres. Another of the staff members had moved to speak when suddenly a loud popping noise sounded in the room drowning the new voice. The others were already moving to point spears and weapons at where energy was forming into the shapes of two ponies. One was tall with wings spread out and horn spiraling from the head. The other pony was smaller and earth pony in shape with an odd shaped head that looked like a hat. With a loud pop and a shower of sparkles the two forms fully formed into Princess Luna and Applejack who promptly fell to her knees while Luna searched the room in a quick manner before locking eyes with her sister. An unheard discussion seemed to happen before Luna moved a wing. “William Howard, you will have armor provided you quickly now, time is short.”

William was only stunned as he stared at Luna. She was not wearing any of her royal vestments or even her small crown. She was instead dressed in a full set of armor, from the helmet that was pressed over her head and smooth as her mane of stars waves from the helmet. Her body was also covered with the same colored metal as the helmet of a dark blue. The armor wrapped around her chest up to her neck and on the front was the white crescent moon with the missing part of the moon facing down creating an image of a claw falling down onto one’s prey. The Armor continued down the length of her body and covered her four legs and hooves leaving a body of armor with only the face as the only weak point of the armor that William could see. Attached to the sides were a long sword on one side with the images of the moon and stars. The other side had attached to her hip was something that could only be handled by unicorn magic William thought to himself as it was a curved blade set into a black as night guard on side in the shape of the crescent moon. To William Luna looked like she was ready to lead an army to war right then and there. She just commanded respect, or as William thought to himself; the need to ask a question or two.

“What is the meaning here?” The General called out as he moved to his full height doing his best to be intimidating. 

Luna only grinned. “Oh Tia, you are teaching your staff to ask the questions, no matter who they are talking to.” She turned to look right at the General frowning a little upon seeing him wilt under her gaze. “Because,” She began, “the Nightmares just launched a small attack upon the Sweet Apple Acres, attacking the dreams of one filly, and slowly hunting for her and her friends.” She looked at William. “I need you to help me repel this incursion before any harm can come to this Filly.”

William blinked and nodded his head as he quickly moved to the corner of the room where Applejack just was returning to her hooves. “Understood Commander.” William spoke before blinking as he realized that he just called Luna by a title that she prefered to be called in the field. He found himself smiling at the smile in Luna’s eyes as she wrapped her wings around the two forms and her horn glowed with energy right before William felt a lurch and jarring. Putting two and two together in that moment, William realized that Luna was breaking through and weaving out a hole for them to teleport out of a room that had been warded to keep access out. He lurched hard as he stumbled to the edge of something, and found himself looking down at a forest he quickly pushed back from the edge and landed on the floor of the flying location to find himself looking up at Luna’s chuckling face. 

William only smiled and laughed a little that turned into a gurgle a little from a small bump. “So,” He began, “We are flying to Ponyville in one of your chariots?”

Luna smiled. “Oh, not just one.” She spread her wings and a glint in her eye made William pause as he realized that maybe like other deities who were based on the Moon, she too was a warrior. William in wonderment slowly rose to his feet, and paused to lightly reassure Applejack who was huddled in a corner of the chariot as she muttered that Earth Ponies shouldn’t be flying. After doing so William stepped to the side of the chariot which was he realized with a slight shock was the same one he saw in the episode Luna Eclipsed. He began to gaze the sky and found himself seeing about five or six more flying in a formation that were in protection of the middle chariot he looked down again to study and found that their was an exact duplicate chariot below Luna’s with shapes that were to look like Luna and more than likely some of her leading Commanders. He looked back up and turned around scanning the sky and saw even more chariots and some of those had a second carriage that was carrying some type of, he jerked up taller at what he realized what he was seeing. Cannons, Cannons that were covered in cloth that did very well to camouflage with the night sky.

“This is,” he began but found he couldn’t form the words.

Luna paused and looked around. “Not enough,” her voice low, “This is just the first wave. We are to secure the farm for the Solar Guards, but I need thee,” She turned to face him as her gaze hardened and bored into his soul. “I need thee to secure the Cutie Mark Crusaders Clubhouse.” She looked back at Applejack’s form. “She is worried, when my nightly dream walks showed that her younger sister Applebloom was being terrified of events encountered in the forest, I realized that they were being manipulated from without her mind.” Luna looked up and dead ahead. “In that clubhouse are four fillies all without Cutie Marks, those are perfect targets for a Nightmare, so much untapped potential that they could twist into their own desires.” She fell silent for a few seconds before blinking and speaking again, “I need thee to protect them while Applejacks helps with evacuating the main farm house, I have compensated them for the farm already in case damage comes to it. Buildings can be rebuilt, lives cannot be found once lost.” She looked saddened. “We shall crush this incursion.” This statement was strong and hard.

She nodded her head. “Your chariot is to the left of mine, I shall teleport you there where you shall find your fighting uniform, with a few patches I created for your use. You shall change into them, and use your rifle, I had modified one of the throwing knives to act as a bayonet for your rifle if you need it.” She closed her eyes. “Good luck William, may you find the courage you need to fight off the blank flanks of Nightmares.” She paused, “Do not hesitate to kill them, their bodies are just tombs trapping the Pony’s soul inside as the Nightmare consumes their inner magic. They are just like what you would call a Zombie, Do not worry they cannot infect you by bites or the like, they have to wear you down and implant a Nightmare into your head.” Luna looked at William one last time, one last question left her lips. “Are you ready to face the Nightmares?”

William quickly puffed out his chest and raised his head tall as he shouted out his answer. “Hooah.” William blinked as Luna only smirked and tapped him on the head. “That may work for your Army, but in the Lunar Guard we use something different” She smiled and took a breath as William caught a twinkle in her eye. What followed was a Royal Canterlot voice that would have made any drill Sergeant proud. “Goorah” even before the echo faded the others in the Moonbeams shouted out Goorah as well. William saw that Luna was waiting and so William took the same stance as before and shouted out “Goorah” as well. With a grin Luna touched her horn to William’s head and he found himself on the chariot that Luna pointed out to him. He looked around him to orientate himself, and to find the gear Luna mentioned was waiting for him.

“Easy now cadet.” A voice came from behind him causing him to turn around towards the back of the chariot. William only smiled at seeing two familiar faces. “Moonshade, Night, how are you both?” He looked back to the pile and noticed clothing that was based on his ACU’s. 

“Let us help you out of your dress uniform sir.” Moonshade replied as his horn glowed a soft dull color. William only nodded and as the chariot bumped and moved along in the air towards Sweet Apple Acres William changed into dark fatigues that would help him blend into the night terrain.

In the night sky and a little light from the two Lunar Guard’s magic he saw that the uniform was very similar to his normal ACU uniform; except that the colors were darker in their pattern, and the patches as well. He saw on his left shoulder was the Equestrian national flag. He saw on the other shoulder the same badge with scroll work, only over the top he saw Special Forces. Also he noticed no real look of rank on his body, he saw Moonbeams in capital letters over his heart, and on the other side same level as the Moonbeams lettering was his last name Howard. He was given a helmet that he put on and the night sky lightened immensely causing William to think that he just got some extra help with seeing enchantments. He could see the landscape changing and saw another flash of light from his right. He looked their only to have Night stop him. 
“that is Applejack being teleported ahead to get her family roused and moving back to Ponyville, we are to be dropping into the orchards near the clubhouse.” He closed his eyes and handed over his weapon wrapped in the red light of a Lunar Guard Mage. William took the weapon and began to check it as Night continued to speak. “We are cleared for full actions once we engage the enemy, we are to get to and hold the clubhouse till we can drive the enemy from the area.” A moment later Night handed over William’s Pistol and K-Bar making William smile a little at the thought of being armed even if he ran out of rifle ammunition.

William only nodded his head as he turned to look out into the frontier of the sky, the dark form of night all around them as they speed towards Ponyville. He looked at his watch as he was able to read it without turning on the green light to read the numbers. “Midnight.” he muttered as digital numbers flipped to the full zeros across the face of the watch.

“We still have half an hour till we reach Ponyville itself.”Moonshade spoke as William looked behind him more and saw they were not carrying a cannon. He turned to look at Moonshade.

“Can this thing go faster?” He looked around at the formation and saw that they were in the edge of it and William did a calculation based on his own limited knowledge. “They can survive if we speed ahead right? We are to keep and save lives, and our speed while fast, we have precious minutes ticking.”

Moonshade looked at Night with a blank look of terror. “But,” he began before Night held up a hoof and quickly wrote a note on a piece of parchment before opening a lighter with a blue flame he touched the parchment to the flame causing the parchment to vanish a small blaze of blue sparks that seemed to waft away in the breeze.

Moments later the light clicked and another parchment roll fell out of the bottom of the lighter. Night lifted the parchment and grinned. He trotted to the front of the chariot. “Full speed ahead Stallions, we are cut loose.” There were snorts and the chariot took off at a much faster speed that caused William to fall onto his bum as the chariot really began to race ahead. “We shall be at the drop zone in fifteen minutes now.”

William only nodded his head as he stayed where he was on the chariot floor. His eyes roved over the small area as he cradled his rifle in his heads he checked the magazine one more time and saw a full magazine of ammunition. “Right, I am armed,” he paused and looked forward, “We are facing Zombie Ponies?” he asked only to hear a little laughter.

“No, we are facing Blank Nightmares, their bodies and could have been abilities of being good at something were used by the Nightmares to create limitless batteries to store a Nightmare till it could be transferred to a stronger body to act as host.” Night spoke in a textbook tone of voice, “A Blank Nightmare is nothing more than a place for Nightmares to store extra Nightmares for possession.” Night closed his eyes. “We free those trapped and, and let nature deal with what happens next. The bodies are drained to the point of no longer being able to naturally support itself, we cut the Nightmares influence and, and the being finally dies.” Night looked to William their eyes locking, “Most of the Blank Nightmares have been alive to roughly a thousand years, less time than Luna was in the Moon, but still a very long time.”

The rest of the time past by in a slow and yet fast manner of silence for the three in the chariot and the three Pegasus with bat wings at the front pulling the chariot through the sky. William looked down at the pendant that he had been wearing with his dress uniform. In the moonlight the pendant glowed a soft green color of the iris surrounding the dragon slit. He looked to the guards. “So,” he pointed to the pendant. “This will help me located hidden nightmares?”

“Among other things as well.” Came the reply from Night as he closed his eyes and his horn glowed Red. “Prepare for drop.” He muttered as William didn’t know what that meant till he felt a light magic pressure strap him in.

“Drop.” Came the first words from the Pegasus flight team and suddenly the bottom of William’s stomach dropped out from him as the chariot lurched and the wind picked up speed around him.

“oh...” William moaned out and suddenly the chariot hit the ground jarring all inside a little. he also heard a crunch of something. He quickly poked his head up far enough to just look over the edge and paled. A small group of Blank Nightmares were shuffling through the night shrouded trees. The red eyes glowing as they had all paused and turned their heads to look at the object that fell from the sky. William froze upon seeing the creatures, he had seen fan depictions of the ponies from Sunny Town. The talk of them being like Zombie Ponies was very accurate. The Blank Nightmare he was focused on had the hoofs showing black with black bones showing through the taunt and mummified skin and fur. All the Blanks were the same coat color of black. The head of the pony he was looking at turned his head to face him as the red eyes seemed to shine brighter at him. the face was best to his mind a skull with skin stretched over it with the sides of the jaws allowing a look at the teeth of this creature. William’s hands began to shake as memories of zombie killing games he played came back to him. Only this was not a game but real life. If he got killed there was no restart or start from a checkpoint.

“MOVE!” Night yelled as the two Unicorns jumped over the edge of the chariot and fired off a few red beams of magic at the now shuffling monsters towards them. The yell and charge shook William from his frozen state and without thinking he raised the rifle to his shoulder sighted his first nightmare and pulled the trigger. The Rifle kicked back a little and he saw flashes of golden light impact the Nightmare right in the forehead causing a burst of black smoke from the injury and then it seemed as if gold veins began to form from the impact before the entire nightmare just seemed to fall apart into wisps of smoke. William just gulped as he heard a noise to his left and saw three Nightmares had snuck up on that side causing him to move his rifle and engaged the three with another burst of weapon fire.

The other two Unicorns were shocked at the loud report of the rifle but they were unable to pause for long. Their magic was dealing small damage but it was going to take a lot of work on their part. They looked at each other as the Nightmares were starting to surround them and with a nod they teleported out of the middle of the Nightmares and appeared back in the chariot only to see William moving a little bit to another part of the Chariot and fired again. To their shock they saw the Nightmares being overpowered by the Celestial Magic. Sometimes taking three hits or more.

“I don’t know.” William muttered as he pulled back as suddenly a beam of black inky magic tried to hit him. “But I think I just fired more than thirty rounds with this one magazine.” William shook his head as he raised the rifle again and fired back only to have another of the black beams of light hit his helmet and knocking him back into the chariot. “Magic users, they got Magic support.” William muttered in anger.

Night looked at his companion and then to William. “Cover me.” he whispered to the others. They both nodded and William put his helmet back on straight. Night waited till they both gave him nods of the head. He took a breath  and charged out and jinxing to the right as soon as his hoofs touched the ground. A Dark black bolt of magic hit the side of the chariot and he fired off a Red blast into the tree line. He heard the moan of a Blank getting hit before another black bolt fired from his left while he looked right. He dove to the ground and the bolt flew over his head even as he fired another into the tree line to the left. He could hear the rifle report open up again as he saw other creatures falling to the light of Celestia.

William took another deep breath as his other Unicorn guard Moonshade yelled out. “We got other nightmares coming in.” the unicorn looked nervous. William turned around only to see four Pegasus shaped blurs zoomed through the approaching Blank Nightmares before turned around and landing around the Chariot. The four Pegasus had batwings that had metal blades that were attached to their wings.

The Nightmares that they attacked found themselves suddenly on their sides as they found the ability to use their legs no longer working. As one the four pegasus jumped forward yet again and using mouth blades from their sides quickly dispatched the Nightmares on the ground.

The lead of the four turned back. “keep firing and covering Night, we got this side.” The lead Pegasus bat pony charged forward once more to engaged more shambling Nightmares that were working in moving towards the Chariot leaving William to return to fighting off the Nightmares that were coming from the other side of the Chariot.

Night heard the rifle begin to fire again as his eyes picked up another Blank Nightmare fall to his right from the firepower of the ranged weapon. He hit the ground as he felt another surge of Nightmare magic, he silently nodded his head with a grin at the name of the magic he had just created. He did not stay their long for as soon as the magic passed over his head he kicked out and started racing again. He turned around a tree and saw a ghastly sight. A full Unicorn Skeleton with nothing but the flowing black magic of the beams keeping the creature upright and moving. With a battle cry he fired off another red blast of magic at the skeleton smiling as he did so. The smile was still frozen on his face as he felt a piercing pain from behind and gasping from the pain he turned around and saw another Nightmare skeleton with a long sharpened tree pole impaling his back He gasped again and feel to the ground squeezing his eyes shut from the pain. He forced his eyes opened and looked one more time around him. He now saw three other Skeletons moving towards him the bones scraping against each other in a spin tingling manner. He closed his eyes and focused one more spell into his horn. Around him five Unicorn Skeletons lumbered towards him as a few Blank Nightmares were moving fast as well to his position. Suddenly from his horn a dark red glow began to form and it grew bigger and brighter.

William ducked gain at another blast of black magic but popped back up as he fired again at another Blank Nightmare and upon seeing it fall began to look around in confusion as suddenly there were no more in the clearing. He blinked in confusion before suddenly a blinding flash of Red magic with hints of a teal color blasted from the tree line uprooting some of them and creating a general mess of the area. William ducked down as the blast wave washed over the chariot and the sound of items hitting the side of the chariot ringing in the air for a long three seconds before everything began to calm down. William looked to his left and at Moonshade who had not tried to take cover from the blast. Moonshade had tears forming in his eyes. “Brother.” he whispered into the wind before looking around. “We need to move, we have to reach the clubhouse.”

William only nodded his head as he stood up and began to walk briskly beside Moonshade while the four bat Pegasus ponies stayed up in the air to give air cover as they all moved north of their landing. The few Blanks they found were easily dispatched while William paused to check his magazine only to slam it back into the weapon with a look of fear and half sick look before he shook his head to focus on his surroundings. The group were in silence till they saw through the trees the lights of a building in the trees take shape. The windows were lit up and around the building and moving towards the ramp were about thirty Blank Nightmares.

William blinked before Moonshade in anger and a cry of rage in his throat charged into the gathering of monsters. The other four pegasus acted before William charging into the fray also yelling a rage filled cry that stirred something in William who charged forward as well. 

William would later state in the classified official report that he took joy upon the look of fear that he conjured up in all who were around in both ally and foe. William didn’t fire a shot and used the bayonet against the Nightmare that first got into his way. He jerked away after plunging the blade into the living corpse in close quarters combat. He made a smart choice in that since it devolved into close quarters fighting and he didn’t want to risk hitting one of his allies. Still it was intense as in close quarters he was at a disadvantage with training. He fought like one who was just trying to get a hit in. It only helped that he had a long rifle with a bayonet at the end of it. Still it took time to clear out the area in front of clubhouse. The noise and din of battle fading while William and the other five ponies began to breath heavily from the energy exerted in the fight.

They all jumped a little and leveled their weapons at a noise only to shakingly lower them again as the noise was a door being opened and a little filly with a head of light golden yellow with red hair and a red bow poked her head out of the door a little more. “Oh thank you mister’s, I, I thought-”

“Now is not the time.” One of the bat winged Pegasus called out to the filly. “We are not done yet. Stay indoors and keep those lights on. They’ll help for a time.”

The filly only nodded her head quickly ducking back in and shutting the door with a slam. The Pegasus that spoke looked to the sky. “Move to the ramp, we have another drop, and it looks like we will have some heavier weapons to use.”

The Unicorn and William moved to the ramp of the clubhouse just as to his eyes two shadows flew overhead. First to fall were two of the canons wrapped up. Followed then with two chariots full of unicorns and then eight more bat pegasus flew into positions around the clubhouse. Without even a word the Unicorns began to dig a trench and foxholes while one unicorn pulled away with a wooden box on his back.

He walked up to William. “I have orders from Luna to present this to you with the following message, you have a weapon upgrade, use it wisely.” He floated the box in his magic and set it on the first landing of the clubhouse’s ramp. William opened the box and tenderly pulled out two items. His hand Grenades and the SAW. He grimly began to set up the Squad Automatic Weapon at the spot. He began to utilize the wooden box to create a place to place the legs to allow him to pivot the weapon. “Thank you.” he muttered before looking at the grenades. “Okay, I will give you a quick lesson, you pull the pin and throw this at the enemy.” He handled the Pineapple grenade gingerly. “can you do that? It can help you at the front while I give you back up.” he opened the bag up and handed a few to the unicorn. “Distribute these to the others on the front.” he looked at the two cannons that were already having dirt walls going up in front of them. The two cannons were anchoring the point where the trenches moved to create a horseshoe shape around the clubhouse. Already they could hear noises coming from the woods. Suddenly from the air the cry from some of the Pegasus came over the clear night air. “Incoming horde, Great Luna’s charge, We got nightmare fliers, All Pegasus engage the fliers keep the skies in our control.”

While the Lunar fliers engaged the enemy fliers, William looked back down at the front lines. He watched as the unicorns in the trenches threw the grenades into the marching lines of the Blank Nightmares. The grenades disrupted the lines with bursts of golden light and explosions that tore apart the nightmares in chunks of flesh that dissolved into black mists that dissipated into the air.

William took a deep breath lay down on his stomach and touched the SAW and swung it into a good firing position and pulled the trigger for three seconds making a unique sound that till then no Equestrian or Nightmare heard before. This new sound caused a lull and WIlliam grimly went to work at picking off the Nightmares he could reach. There were still a lot of them and the Battle would last for a while. He quickly shook his head to keep his mind on tracked and saw a small lull in the battle so he snuck a quick look into the sky and fell onto his back as he reached for his K-Bar as a Nightmare flyer of a two horned bat winged horse/pony type creature dove at him. He raised his arm to prepare for the blow and grunted as the knife got stuck in the leather skin armor. He also grunted with a cry as the creature rolled and the two ended up rolling down the ramp as the creature attacked him and William continued to stab or tried to. The knife was knocked from his hand hitting one of the small raised boards that created steps on the ramp and they rolled a little over the dirt and ito a side trench where the monster was quickly dispatched by the mages in the trench. William moaned and turned to his side before letting the contents of his stomach out on the floor before groaning softly from the abuse he had just gone through. “I hate Nightmares.” he moaned and narrowed his eyes at the nervous chuckles from the unicorns in the trench before they returned fire upon the crowd of approaching Nightmares a few black beams shot out over the heads of the unicorns before another blast bathed the sky above the trench lip a golden yellow.

“At least the Grenades are working.” William muttered with a smile on his lips before coughing as he sat up to try and breath again. He was probably a sight after being attacked and the physical fight with the flying monster. William moved a hand to his side and smiled as he removed his Beretta from the side holster and moved to the edge of the trench. “So, what can I do to help here?”

Moonshade who was next to him growled and threw his head back towards the ramps. “Hold the ramp and fight from there, we got enough for the moment. Just help us hold out here.”

William only nodded his head feeling a little bad for abandoning his post, “Right. He turned around and blinked. “A little help out?” He ignored the chuckling and then felt weightless as a mage lifted him out of the trench. William quickly began to crawl towards the ramp and the high ground. He kept his head low so as to keep it from harm, as well as to let the helmet protect his head as much as possible. He smiled as he hand touched the wooden edge of the ramp before his ears heard a screech from the air. Without thinking he rolled onto his back and pulled the Beretta from his pistol holster and pointed it into the air as another of the monster fliers barrelled down. Without thinking he began to pull the trigger as more golden streams of light erupted from the muzzle impacting the monster. The monster to William’s wonderment seemed to fall apart into a flowing cloud of blackness that dissipate into nothingness after a solid five hits from the pistol. William frowned and checked the magazine before slamming it back into place. 

“Another full magazine even after,” he trailed off and shook his head. “this is like infinite ammo cheats from bond.” he muttered as he looked to the sky and saw two more fliers burst into nothingness. He grimaced in pain as one Lunar Pegasus fell to the ground and rolled into a trench. The battle was not clean, then again war and fighting never was. 

Seeing that the coast was clear William quickly raced back to his nest while crouched low and slide into the position and quickly reached out his hand to grip the trigger handles of the small machine gun. “Okay. Time to-”

He was cut off with a spine tingling sound and saw the creatures actually falling back into the forest in a manner that said they were sneaking back to the Everfree forest. It was minutes laters that William even attempted to let out the breath he was holding in. “Okay,” he took a deep breath in and let it out through his nose in a steady pace. “That was an intense first battle.” He shakingly got to his feet as he cradled the rifle in his hands as he looked around the field in fear of an ambush.

The guards were now looking back at William in shock and awe. One of the Pegasus Night Guard landed beside William. “What is that? What do you humans call that weapon?”

William looked at the weapon. “We call it a Saw.”

“Rather crazy way to cut down things for something that has no cutting edge.” The guard muttered with a bit of both awe and fear.

“Uh, no, S A W, Squad Automatic Weapon.” William slowly spoke with the shakes and touched the weapon.

“Well, I like the name, shows that it is an action as well as an acronym.” The Guard spoke before walking back up the ramp to the door.

William took another shaky breath before looking at the clubhouse door. He began to walk up the ramp to the door. He took a moment and stood at his full height and attention before reaching out and knock on the door as a few Lunar Pegasi landed on the roof lightly and one landed on the landing William had just left. He blinked as the door burst open and once again he found himself tumbling down the ramp, rolled to the landing and rolled right off it falling a few feet landing on his back and gasped as the air was knocked from his lungs.

“Cutie Mark Nightmare Slayers YAY!” Came the cry above from four unique voices followed by a small bit of silence before a chorus of “Aww nuts.” William only could bring air into his lungs and at the same time fought to keep his chuckles from going too overboard. He had just been used as a Cutie Mark Crusade project. “That was fun.” William deadpanned with a grunt as a Unicorn was by his side checking his body for any more injuries.

With a little help William was helped up a little Unicorn magic. He staggered a little and slowly walked up the ramp a little slower this time and blinked as the Lunar Guards were standing over the weapons on the landing. Smart move he thought to himself as he saw four faces poking out of the clubhouse and we're looking at the outside with a worry. Behind them was the much brighter interior of the clubhouse.

“What are you?” a southern voice asked as one of the fillies, the same one from before tilted her head the red bow bouncing a little.

“I say we hit him again.” Another of the fillies growled out. “We didn’t make him puff into thin air.” her wings buzzing in anger.

“Hold on.” Moonshade cried out as he moved to stand in front of William. “He is on our side, he is a special weapon in Luna’s military.”

William only smiled as their eyes went wide. “Really?” A brooklyn accent called from inside the clubhouse. “Luna, how did she get away with creating such a weapon?”

“I volunteered.” William spoke and blinked as the four fillies just stared with wide eyes before they burst from their small abode and circled him on the balcony in front of the clubhouse door that then wrapped around the side and led to another ramp that went up into the tree. “Easy, easy, let’s get inside and you can ask a few questions, at least till your ride gets here.”

“Ride?” The only Unicorn in the group asked with a small voice. “Where are we going?”

“Away from here.” William muttered as they entered the clubhouse. He quickly saw that the room had been moved about. There were tables and other items pushed to the walls with sleeping bags in the middle of the floor and every single lamp in the place lit and glowing. “I am afraid this is not a safe play for you all. You sister trusted me to get you out alive and that is what I am going to do.”

“Okay, ah guess we can introduce ourselves to you.” She puffed her chest up. “I’m Applebloom.”
 
The other earth pony with freckles blew into her bangs. “I’m Babs Seed.” She grinned a little.

“And I’m Sweetie Belle, oh! you are with Luna, do you know how my sister is doing? I mean, if you got to see her, her being one of those element holders. I mean I can recognize my sisters clothing anywhere, never knew she did military.”

William smiled. “I did meet her, in fact she made some of my outfits for me to wear.” He smiled more at the look of pride on her face. “These are some of the best uniforms I have worn.”

“Yeah, Yeah, I bet you are good, but not as good as Rainbow Dash, I bet she would have taken those nightmares out in ten seconds flat.” The orange pegasus boasted with a look of pride. “Name’s Scootaloo.”

“A Pleasure to meet you all-” William began only to be interrupted as the four fillies bunched up and yelled at the top of their lungs.

“WE’RE THE CUTIE MARK CRUSADERS!” the voices blended together into something that was almost close to Luna using a military command. William smiled and he noticed that the Lunar Guards were half smiling half in a stance of awaiting the next command.

William chuckled a little. “Anyway, why don’t you pack up the things you want to take with you, I don’t know when you can return here.”

The Fillies only nodded their heads and like all children began to pack everything up. Though a kind word from the guards convinced them to at least leave the furniture as the sound of another chariot landed outside. Thankfully this one didn’t drop.

William walked out with them and looked at the guards in the chariot. “Okay, I want the CMC taken back to the main evacuation center. Treat them like you would visiting generals.”

“Sir?” One of the guards asked in confusion.

“They have close ties to the Elements. Do you want any of them mad at you for letting harm befall them?” William asked while answering at the same time while narrowing his eyes.

“No Sir.” Came the shaken reply. “I’ll get the CMC to their post right away.” There was no saluting and the chariot took off into the air. As it fell away there was an echo shout about Generals. William face palmed. “What have I done?” He sighed and shook his head. “hopefully Luna will help them think this is just some big crazy exercise for her guards after the Changelings, Applebloom needs not know how close-” William trailed off

Moonshade looked back at William. “CMC?” They were walking back to the clubhouse to finish securing it and turning it into a outpost. 

“I wanted them to feel special and part of the-” He stopped and groaned. “Applejack be kind to me, I just might have caused more mayhem by doing that. The CMC around Lunar Guards.”

“They don’t seem bad to me.” Moonshade replied, “Though why they have industrial tree sap soap confused me.”

“Trust me when I say, you don’t want to know.” William responded as they entered the clubhouse. “They, just don’t ask, I have heard stories from Applejack and Rarity.” He closed his eyes and shook his head with a small chuckle.

William looked at the ladder that was off to the side leading to a trap door into a second story of the clubhouse. William moved slowly to the ladder. “Cover me, make sure nothing gets out, I am going to poke my head in and have a lantern to flush anything that might be lurking in the attic, rather not have anything eavesdrop on our conversations here.”

“Of course,” One of the unicorns replied. “I want you and you to take up spots on each side of the ladder.” William saw that their was a ring of unicorns around the ladder as he slowly ascended the ladder with one hand while the other tightened around the handgrip of the pistol he had been using.

He reached the latch and with a deep breath put his shoulder against the door so as to move fast and hopefully catch any nightmares off guard. He slowly counted to five and then Slammed the trap door up causing it to fly with the momentum to crash on the opposite side of the hole with bang of wood hitting wood. William did fully hear the bang as his head slammed into a monster spider that quickly wrapped its legs around and plunged two fangs into his head.

William blinked as he felt some pain but then nothing. He looked around the strange landscape in wonderment as he footsteps crunched on the light grey surface. The air was odd as the sound seemed to be deadened all around him. William took a breath of air and found it somehow being off to him. He blinked as his eyes took hold of something in the distance. A large white leaf tree that towered into the sky akin to the trees of fantasy that held physical power over the land. At the base and what appeared to be a depression around the tree were the tops of spires with flags fluttering in a weak breeze.

William felt compelled and followed through with a few steps forward only to seemingly traverse the distance in three steps as he now stood at the lip of the depression looking down at a city that surrounded the large massive oak tree. The bark he saw was a dark white color. In fact the buildings were made of the same material of the bark and what looked to be metals of some type. He could not see the tree actually dig into the ground as a massive palace was built around the tree’s base. Around the edges of the crater were odd plants and crops set up in a manner that was optimal in the circular city. All of this was in a, William stepped back in shock he was seeing a crater impact and a tree and a city as large as three ponyville if not more were there and that included the land of Sweet Apple Acres. At least from how he read the map earlier. “What?” he whispered. He looked up to the sky and his eyes bugged out. There hanging in the sky was the planet Equis or Earth or Equestria as all three were viable names if what Luna’s mind told him. Yet as he looked down at the crater one more time he got nothing but a big blank where usually he had found small tidbits of help. Here he got nothing so he looked around and found near his steps a staircase carved into the side of the crater wall of a impact zone on the moon. He paused once more and looked back at the staircase to the city and into the sky and then back around the three spokes a few more times before whispering in shock “I’m, somehow on the moon.” With a bit of numbness he took his first step on the staircase leading into the city. He saw the staircase ending a ways away at what looked to be a guard house.

“Oh no,” A sweet honey voice whispered in his ear with a deep chuckle under every word. “This is just a message for you to relay to our fallen Queen.” With horror William found his vision blackened before clearing from his view and revealing him to be standing on some spectators stand. The stand was ornate and richly decorated in the colors of Nightmare Moon. He saw empty seats, with two large ornate ones in the center. The Nightmare only laughed as it waved to the crowd in a manner as if to say to begin the ceremony. There was a trumpet sounded and to Williams horror the nightmare took even more physical form of a Shadowed Alicron while at the same time a parade began to march around a corner of the building he stood on and  onto the wide boulevard in front of him. The oddness that quickly took the front of his mind was that the pony type he was seeing was one he had never seen before and had no clue what they were he couldn’t even tell if they were male or female. They were the color of dark amaysist and they all had horns with some odd protrusions on the hind legs like barbs. At least the first group had the horns. The ears were almost rabbit like in structure and that was really all he could see as everything was blurred in the bleeding mist of blackness surrounding them all. The second group were nothing but fliers with leather bat wings that still kept the same general body of the unicorn moon ponies. While the third group seemed to be pulling weapon wagons. These were bigger than the other two, and William realized that these were Moon version of the three races. He shivered as his mind finally caught up to how they were marching as it was similar yet different at the same time.

That one thing they were doing was sending his spine tingling with fear. Images of the past came unbidden as triggers were firing and yet, he smirked in a poor sense of humor as he realized they looked more like Hyena’s marching in front of Scar from Lion King, however their march harkened back to a darker time of human history and his face fell into a look of ashen fear. He stepped back as an image of a black cross with the ends bent in different directions on a white circle surrounded by a red field came also to his mind.

“Good, our fear tactics are working, if they work upon thee, they shall work upon all thy brothers and sisters of earth.” Even as the voice spoke again the parade continued on as if displaying their forces for a leader unseen. As well as a show of force for any other nations that might watch the parade as well.

Behind them came cannons with more of the odd moon earth ponies pulling and marching beside them. Then came wagons with metal bolted to the sides, while crude in William’s eyes he knew that would cause problems on Equis. These armored wagons were then followed by a five large flat wagon with sixteen strong ponies pulling the wagon. each one could easily have been the size of Big Macintosh. As for what sat on the large wagons was what looked like a Saturn V space capsule. On the side of each capsule was the Crescent Moon blood red with a the tips looking more like sickles as it embraced a dim grey sun.

“The image of the Lunar Empire.” The voice sounded proud. “To you that is the Pony hammer and Sickle.” The laughter returned. “You fear your role, but be not scared, as our fallen Queen will return, to give her strength, we must have a King as well, you humans see males as power authority, do not be so sick as you shall lead many who will die at your command my liege.”

At those sick words that dripped of honey and yet William knew the poison laced in them as well his eyes saw the scene change to another location. An Elaborate throne room draped in dark colors devoted to something that harkened to Luna but one that had been corrupted to fit the creature sitting upon the throne. Nightmare Moon stood their in triumph as she watched with evil gleaming eyes as the last of the Element holders were corrupted into Nightmare versions of their true selves. But that was not what drew William’s eyes,at least that scene did not keep his eyes for long as he wanted to look away from the sickening scene, no what drew his eyes in his search away from the monstrous scene was an identical throne to Luna’s right sat William but he dressed in the trappings of an Emperor combined with a Military uniform. Upon both heads were black crowns that gleamed in a light of their own. Around William bled thick black smoke and William had to turn his head to the side as he couldn’t handle what he saw projected on the floor in front of the Throne of William. While the Nightmare William was human on the throne there on the floor was a dark laughing shadow of an Alicorn while the Nightmare William was human on the throne. 
William's eyes having turned to the side of the room now saw a map of Equis was covered in shadow with a large sickle moon eating the sun. As he saw white dots began to blossom on the map as another map began to grow.

It was here that William had seen enough and he closed his eyes willing to have it end, to fight it. He was shocked with he met no resistance in his pushing the enemy out of his head. the female laugh still lingering in his mental ears as the world shattered. “All I wanted was to show you that you are doomed, no matter what we will win and that will be your future. Your fate is sealed.”

William looked back and narrowed his eyes as the shadow of an Alicorn as black as night if not blacker, and suddenly around him music began to blare as the darkness and despair that has slowly seeped into his being was washed away.

William only smirked as he recognized the music “You can't take me” he whispered to the Villain as lighting crashed and thunder crashed. The Music began after the lightening and crash of thunder. A voice whispered what William just spoke. William found himself wielding a sword as the Nightmare cried and send mental shadow ghosts at him. William stepped back and while the music played from somewhere he was using the mental plane to become the sword fighter. As the music and singer’s voice swelled he began to move faster and more agile. dispatching the shadows that were the strange shape of a species he never saw. This was a mental war zone.

The Alicorn of Nightmares stepped back as she saw the ground William covering beginning to be covered by a bright red light that seemed to pulse with the beat of the music. Before suddenly William was right in front of her and with a smirk he smiled fully as he pointed his sword right at her forehead. 

The Alicorn of Nightmares found herself actually feeling something that she had not felt for a long time. She felt fear, and acting on that fear she rose a barrier between William and herself to keep that blasted sword from touching her. In fact she stepped back to put more distance from William and her eyes narrowed as she could hear the music drawing to a close and beginning to fade. She only smiled as she let herself fade away from William. “Our time is over, my message is sent.” She whispered before fading into nothing. William looked around at the throne room and saw it beginning to fade as well leaving the red pattern the had created as the only light around him and he watched in fascination as the color began to spread out to fill the entire space.

William sat up with a gasp of air as if he had been drowning and only now broke the surface. He found himself sitting on the ground and a large red barn to his left side and standing over him with the moon still on the horizon was Luna with a look of fear, worry, concern, and shame William was shocked at seeing the last emotion in her eyes. However as he gathered his thoughts he remembered what he saw and his eyes narrowed a little as he realized that he had been left in the dark in how to deal with that new situation. “Can we talk?” the tone of voice was one that Luna and Celestia had never heard from the human.

Luna bowed her head more in shame then anything before looking to her left.“Tia, you can lower the moon for me, I, there are things I need to speak about with William in private.” Her voice hitching a little as if trying to keep from crying.

Celestia who was to William’s right only nodded her head. She was also garbed in armor that at the moment was too bright for William to fully see the details. He just knew that she was in armor as it was a different brightness then the white coat of her body. Around her were a lot more Solar Guards as well all white and in shining gold armor with the blue star over their chest. William’s eyes roved to her side to see that a gleaming halberd hung ready for use. Of her military garb the halberd was the only thing he could really pick out as it was a darker look then her armor and yet from the memory of Luna it could get a lot brighter, and it hurt a lot when it bite into one’s hide and own armor.

Luna swatted William with a wing to his head. William looked back at her to see her trying to smile but failing. She held out a wing to William once he was looking at her and helped William to stand up and began to lead him towards the barn. Once inside she took a  breath. “LEAVE!” The smallish Royal Canterlot Voice cleared the barn rather quickly. Once the barn was empty she placed a bubble of pale blue around them and looked at a hale bale. “Sit.” She commanded and William with a look of worry and fear upon hearing a tone that so far Luna had not used on him moved to sit down on the hay bale ready to hear what it was the Princess Luna was about to tell him.
	
	

> Assualt on Sunny Town
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

	Luna looked at William as she began to pace in front of William as he sat down on the hay bale. “Where to begin.” She muttered, “Where do I start in clearing my name in thine eyes?” She looked away from William and looked down at her hooves and the floor. “How, how,” She trailed off again before looked back at William. “Can, I need to show you something, I, I need you to see how,” her voice hitched a little. “How I became Nightmare Moon.”

Luna sighed and walked towards William. “Do, do you still trust me?” her voice low while her head dipped down in sorrow.

William blinked and reached his hands up and pulled her head and her horn to touch his forehead. He remained silent the entire time, however a gentle caress from his left hand her check happened in a hope of showing he still trust her.

With tears almost breaking through now she squeezed her head shut and channeled magic into her horn and into William head.

To William it felt like a lifetime as he saw Luna being tricked by the Order of the Black Suns the fear and emotions of being trapped and the nightmare working to actually weaken and take Celestia down so that she too could be taken.

Luna pulled back and looked weak as outside the landscape was growing lighter with dawn approaching. She looked at William. “Now that you know the, the causes, the rage, anger and being alone, let me tell you what happened to me once I was on the moon. You know of what it was like the first one hundred years. Let me tell you of the other nine hundred.” she sat down on the floor and leaned forward once more touching her horn to his forehead and she closed her eyes and focused. 

William felt an icy warmth spreading from where the horn touched the forehead as it spread down his body and he closed his eyes in both pain and pleasure as he realized these were Luna’s emotions.

William found his eyes opening and he saw the surface of the moon he tried to look around but found he could not. Luna’s voice then began to speak a little, only it was different. “Oh Tia, what hast we done?” Luna sobbed out. “we, we am all alone and, no pony will ever,” She paused and looked around the moon and doing so made William’s head move from side to side as well.

There was a long pause before she got up and began to walk along the surface of the moon. “The Nightmares are no more my dear sister.” the voice began. “We are free of our mind.” A small snort, “Yet what shall we do while we wait for the time for us to return?” She stopped at a large crater that looked new, ragged, and fierce looking. “The Spot upon which I came to this wretched place.” She flapped her wings and landed in the middle of the crater floor and looked around before looking up and grinning. “We know what we shall do to keep us from going mad. We shall create a tree and life.” She smiled and pranced a little. “Yes, we shall create life on this our moon to keep from going mad.” William blinked as he thought he heard a small dark whisper in the back of his mind.

Luna slowly began to walk to the middle of the crater and lowered her head and slowly began to concentrate and William blinked before doing something silly as he began to concentrate on making it so that Luna’s project would come to pass even though it was a memory.

Suddenly from the ground a small sapling appeared over Luna who then began to breath on the sapling the only thing that was alive beside her. In his mind he heard Luna’s voice as if narrating the next part. “I do not know how long I truly stayed over the sapling, but I would say between ten and twenty years. 

The memory jumped a little and there was a healthy oak tree with acorns in the branches. The Tree to William’s shock was as large as a mature Red Wood from California. William blinked as he looked around and there were now Luna looking around and creating trenches and carrying blocks of ice to fill the trench. She was working hard and she looked happy. The coat was like she was now but all dusty, and ice covered the coat a little and yet nothing evaporated. “I then worked on creating water to grow food. This was also hard work as I wanted a place ready for when I tried my hoof at creating life.” 

The scene moved to another place with Luna sitting in front of two six ponies. Two Earth, Two Pegasus, and Two Unicorns. All of them were not like their Equis counterparts. The Earth Ponies were as large as Big Mac, the muzzle structure was similar to their more earth style counterparts. The female were smaller than the male by a smidge but just as strong looking. There were barbs on the hind legs that were a little larger on the males then the females. The unicorns were smaller than the earth ponies, but larger than the pegasus moon ponies. The unicorn’s horn were more of a curve forward. They also had the barbs on the hind legs. In fact the Lunar Pegasus had feathers the color of moon’s surface. In fact all six ponies bodies were the color of the Moon’s surface. he saw that they all were bowing to Luna.
William did not hear what was said but the ponies went and started to create small huts from the dust and rocks of the moon. Once again the scene changed and the City looked bigger, in fact it looked almost the same size as the city that he first saw, only the palace was under construction and the tree had grown even larger. It was now the same size as from his own vision but maybe a little smaller. He looked to the left and a planning board with a map of the Moon’s surface with three other Craters with markings of other settlements. They all were all surrounding the large crater that seemed to be the capital city. Their also looked to be underground cave systems to connect the craters. He felt that they were talking of expanding to more areas of the Moon.

Another change and William was in an Observatory and the Ponies there were looking into the telescope. “So, are you sure?”

“I am, I just saw an explosion of light in a circle.” One of the Pegasus Moon Pony observers spoke still having an eye to the telescope.

Behind them all was Luna listening. She smiled a little, she had come to terms with her ponies looking at Equis with curiosity. After all she reasoned, she had been looking at it herself in her private study. She smiled a little and spoke a little word that would get them thinking. “It would be nice if you could visit that world.” The silence that followed was music to her ears as she saw gears turning in the Lunar Ponies heads.

William blinked and found himself with Luna in a lab somewhere as Luna looked at a chalkboard with drawings on it. Luna’s voice was happy as she spoke. “You, you can make it work?”

A Lunar Unicorn only smiled and nodded his head. “Yes your highness.” he bowed his head. “I believe we can create this to be the first ponies to return to your homeland.”

Luna paused and looked at him with an odd look. She had noticed some of her ponies had acted strange and started working on these projects. It was true that a thousand years had almost been completed, and she hoped she could return to Equestria better than she was before.

It was at that moment that Luna blinked and looked up in horror as something touched her mind. The Nightmare that had been at the back of her head was waking up and starting to whisper plans and ideas of making them regret banishing her to the moon. She folded her wings close to her body and turned around. “Keep it up. we know that when we return to Equis we would enjoy it if you could visit us at times. We can show what we have learned here to improve my sister’s kingdom.”

She turned around and paused in horror at a closed crate that was brought in. “Actually,” The Scientist behind her spoke. “We have other plans. Why should we help thine sister who banished thee? We can crush her and make thee sole ruler of all of Equis.” His voice turning darker. Luna blinked and turned only to have the unicorns holding the box open it. The cursed rocks that were touched by the Nightmares glowed their dark sickly color and Luna gasped as the Nightmare used the powers of the rocks that had gathered the horrors and Nightmares of her people to overpower Luna and Luna wanted to scream as her body turned once more into Nightmare Moon with plans of turning her little ponies into the perfect hosts for her fellow lesser Nightmares.

The memories faded and William found himself back in the barn. Luna pulled away and looked out at the now light sky shining through the window of the barn. “Now you know, we were not fully cleansed till the Elements of Harmony was used in a more proper manner.” She looked sadly at the ground. “Not even our sister knows the full extent of what happened on the moon, and  now. Now she shall see what folly we have done.”

William got up and slowly put a hand out to Luna who shied away a little before finally leaning her head into his hand. “I do not see it as folly, you create life where.” he paused and looked into the sky. “You created life where their was none, all I see this as is a prelude of what the Nightmares wish for all thinking creatures.” He leaned in closer. “I actually applaud you for thinking outside the box. I just have to work on freeing a civilization to my tasks of protecting your world from the Nightmares.” William smiled at the shocked look on Luna’s muzzle.

William looked up at the rising sun and as such missed the blush that covered her muzzle a little. “We are,” she cleared her throat. “I am happy thou wast picked for,” She paused as William moved a hand away from her clenching his fist. “William,” Luna’s voice was soft. “Do not cry, I, I saw the fear and pain thou went through right before, I saw how thou wert to be killed for one to join a gang. How thou were not able to have anything to protect thyself from thy adversaries.” She sat down a little and wrapped him into a hug with her wings. “If anything thou wert able to handle the Nightmares better because thy mind were already in a fight or flight mindset.” She looked at the doors and seeing nothing began to brush a wing over his head. “Hush now,” Luna whispered as William began to cry again. Luna only sat there and hummed a lullaby while stroking William’s head with the tip of her wing. William soon felt something dropping on his own head and when he looked up briefly he saw Luna crying as well and their he felt that he could tell what it was about, a mother grieving the loss of a child’s way or here the loss of a civilization she had built falling to a darkness she could not stop.

It was a few minutes of silence before they both felt they were ready to be composed and face the morning. They began to walk out side by side as Luna dropped the field, with a flash of Luna’s horn the door of the barn slide to the side letting in the morning light stream in and blinding the two from the activity that was occurring outside. they both could hear the last minute rushing as troops were finishing up, and supplies were either unloaded or loaded up. Maybe both.

They stepped over the threshold and the activity became visible to both of their eyes. Sure enough the Lunar Guard were digging in around the farm buildings while Celestia’s forces were gathering for the push into Sunny Town. Celestia herself trotted around the corner of the barn with Twilight as the two talked to one another and after a few more words the two parted as she walked up to Luna and William and gave them both a look of concern which was more directed towards Luna then William. She paused and motioned for William to step forward while looking at Luna still. “Be safe dear sister, I will ask you to stay here with your troops.” Luna only nodded her head as she moved to a gathering of her troops.

William turned to watch her go as she walked solemnly towards a small row of three rectangles covered in what had to be Lunas personal crest. She moved to what he figured were the heads of the caskets and bowed her head in sadness. William blinked and turned away feeling conflicted.

Celestia smiled and began to walk away. “William if you would please follow me.” William only nodded his head and walked to catch up. “I was informed that you had a meeting with the Nightmares and they had a message?”

William looked at Celestia. “I am sorry but that was for-” He stopped as Celestia actually turned to face him with a hard glare.

“That is what Luna told me while you lay on the ground comatose for an hour. That it was meant only for you and here. I want answers, my sister has withdrawn herself these past few days and will not answer me. When she does she is like a filly speaking to a mother and not a sister.”

William blinked before drawing himself taller. “I shall not also tell thee till after Sunny Town is sealed away, if I spend the time to tell thee. We shall lose our window and have the full might of a Nightmare Invasion, Sunny Town is their current gateway and we must not allow them even a single hoof hold upon this fair land, or, or all shall be lost.”

Celestia actually pulled back a little before snorting. “Great, you and her talked again, your language changes to match hers when she speaks to your mind.” She paused. “Yet, she has done well in picking up more modern phrases-” She paused in a way that William knew she had trailed off on purpose to show that it was also a good thing.

“You will ride with me and my commanding officer, Also today is November Sixth, let this day be known as the day we finish the nightmare.” She spoke after a moment of silence as well as start to walk again. “I will be authorizing you to use your,” She paused a little before speaking the strange title. “RPG, I have recon work and we believe that some crystal formations are holding the two together. The energy that brought you, also triggered those items. I hope your weapon can destroy them. You shall remain in the chariot and focus on the crystals, we shall keep any flying Nightmares off your back, however I feel that with the sun, they will not be able to attack us directly.”

William only nodded his head while trying to keep his composer. “Uh, I don’t-”

Celestia smiled. “You can relax, our guards found out that the crate appears to be the same as your magazine in that when an item is taken out, it is replaced, in this case when the lid is closed or no one looks at it.”

“Wait,” William spat as he had to keep following Celestia. “You knew about the Magazine and didn’t tell me?”

“Does not your world use magic to replace their magazines?” Celestia paused and asked turning her head to face him fully.

“No,” William cried. “Those Magazines have that capacity and the bullets do not replace themselves, so once a magazine is used you replace it with a full one.”

Celestia actually looked at the chariot. “Oh, so, you freaked when you reached the thirty first bullet?” William thought he caught a look of concern about what she was learning but it was so slight William brushed it off as nothing.

William blinked and shook his head. “Try when I reached a mental count of forty five, as I thought I might have counted higher or faster than I should have.”

Celestia only smiled a little. “How about now? How do you feel now?”

“Like I broke a video game and have unlimited ammo during the campaign.” He muttered before smirking at the confused look Celestia gave him. “Don’t worry about it, a human reference that you wouldn’t get without a lot of backstory and tangents.”

Celestia only unfolded her wings. “Very well, then we shall proceed with my plans, we shall give you some time over the Everfree to fire into the trees with the RPG to get a feel and make sure that you know how to use it correctly.”

William only nodded his head knowing full well that more than likely he would have to unlearn his self teaching if any of his military friends saw the way he handled it. He hoped he got it right in the first place. He followed Celestia through the mass of Royal Guards. He noticed that a lot of them were pegasus with all the unicorns standing in the main chariots. Something that he saw here and not on the TV show was that their were a lot of military chariots for both ponies. He was heading to the largest and most ornate one. However Celestia did not step into the chariot and instead channeled magic into her horn as armor in the chariot began to fly towards her till she too was garbed in head to tail armor that was brilliant to the eyes. Yet it seemed thicker and bulkier than Luna’s and with a smile William hazard a guess that Celestia might have been a more upfront warrior.

Celestia paused as she took the blade that he saw before and looked at it with sadness. She spoke to William in a soft tone denoting painful memories. “The last time I had to wield this blade was when those vile creatures took my sister from me and then hide in this town. The only mercy that they need, is freedom from their prison by death.” The words seemed to have weight to them as she buckled the sword to her side and looked at her troops. “Forward March.” She ordered and took to the air. The chariot that William was in lurched forward after five other chariots took to the air causing William to fall down into the chariot and sit on the closed lid of the RPG rounds.

“Okay Liaison.” A unicorn guard spoke from the front. “I am going to clear you to use your heavy weapons.” He turned around to face the front. “We will be coming over the grove of pain. It was where Celestia banished her sister, nothing grows there to this day so it is safe to fire into.”

As he spoke William saw a large clearing of blackened earth that was easily the size of two or so acres. As they made a first fly over William was shocked by how true it was. It was like a night and day difference. He also noticed that the Chariot was skirting around the clearing. With a grunt and a sigh William hefted the RPG Launcher and loaded one of the RPG rounds into the tube after reading the labels and using what he hoped was common sense. He gulped and opened his mouth.

“Please note that this is an active combat zone, no need to warn others that you are firing.” The same unicorn replied with a grunt as the chariot hit a little turbulence. William only nodded again with a deep breath and pulled the trigger as the weapon was pointed to the ground below. The projectile whooshed from the tube and raced to the ground where it exploded in a burst of gold light. William realized yet again that even this was blessed by Celestia, and as he expected it was a larger explosion then the Grenades. He took more deep breaths to settle the sudden rush of adrenaline his body experienced from the first time firing off a weapon of that size before moving to get another one and try it again.

It was after depleting the bag of ten RPG rounds that William felt like he could wield it effectively. he pointed to one of the unicorns of five in the chariot which didn’t even feel crowded. “You, I need you to start pulling rounds out for me to use. I do not know how many I will need to use but, I want to keep stock piled, starting now.”

The unicorn only saluted and went to work on gathering the needed stockpile. William decided to stop counting after sixteen rounds as he noticed the sky was changing. It was starting to turn into a twilight look and the distance made the forest appear less wild and more tamed in a manner like a small town was living in the area and the magic was under control. The twilight never grew darker, and yet it never grew lighter. William saw the looks of worry on the faces of the guards in the strange light of the moment. William smiled a little. “yeah, seems a little spooky, but we will win, They are only able to use this area, we can call in reinforcements.” he smiled a large as he can hoping to instill some confidence to them, the Nightmares might draw in reinforcements from the moon or elsewhere when it is like this, but for him. He had to take point now. “Okay ready, let’s engage this town and drive the enemy from the forest.” doing his best to sound touch and in charge.

He smiled unseen by the others as he heard their cries of affirmatives and the Chariot banked a little when from a small gold crystal Celestia’s voice came through. “William, you should start your attack, I cannot yet risk my troops in this light, get some light going.”

William nodded his head before speaking. “Read your loud and clear your highness, we shall engage shortly.” He called out as the Chariot banked more allowing William to see the town. To his shock it looked bigger than any fan drawing ever made it to be. Also he doubted that there had been a keep in the middle or the start of stone walls, or guard towers spread out around the town. William smiled a little. “I think we should take out those towers, they could give problems to your chariots.” He blinked as he thought that all the guard towers reminded him of the british towers you would build from Age of Empires II. He shook his head to clear his mind and to keep from getting side tracked.

He got no verbal response but he got a physical one as the chariot moved towards the closest ones. Which appeared to be two towers guarding a gate which he saw was shut tight. “Okay, here we go.” he muttered as he lifted the RPG again and fired it at an enemy for the first time in his life, the burst of golden magic seemed to light up the air and leave a trail of gold from the rocket to where William had fired, already they were moving away so it was pointing to mid air when the first rocket had hit. Even as it hit William had loaded another rocket and paused only to listen to stone being shattered and falling on one another. William took another shot at the other tower and loaded another rocket as that tower was hit before the stone gate was also hit sending stone and metal into the air. he looked as the sky got lighter where they were before he saw more of the nightmare fliers starting to fill the sky. “Celestia, I might need some Pegasi support.”





William nodded his head and leaned back as they came close to another tower that frankly shocked those inside just as much as those in the chariot that allowed them to escape from being pelted with whatever the weapon they had. William quickly loaded another round and as soon as the back was facing he leaned a little over the side and fired another shot.

The round hit the side of the building which caused it to fall sideways as it took out another crystal creating another patch of what Sunny Town really looked like. “Another opening into the town.” William shouted with a look of glee. He looked around and had to drop the RPG onto the ground and pick up his rifle yet again to fire on a group of Nightmares that were charging his chariot. “Great, the longer we go the more they see us as a danger priority.” He muttered.

At least he was about to fire when they were engulfed in a massive wave of fire as a streak of white flew past and another Monster feel to the ground as it bleed shadows from a gaping wound in one of its wings. The White blur slowed and their blazing like the noon sun was Celestia. She stayed still for a moment before charging forward into the fray once more.

William turned his head away from the memorizing moves that Celestia was making in the air. With Celestia in the area he actually could see the areas still being controlled by the Nightmares and without even speaking we went after another tower. William saw this was the third to last of the towers on this side of the town. Even as they moved their was a huge explosion near a secondary wall that threw stones as far into the air as they were.

“What?” William cried out loudly as his ears rang from the explosion.

“Methane charges.” His loader replied in a louder voice. “We have those for breaching doorways, it looks like we got a little stronger stuff this time.” He was smiling a little before his horn glowed a gold color and William’s hearing returned to normal. William gave a thumbs up as a thanks before lifted the launcher which had been loaded already. He looked at the unicorn that had been taking the rounds out of the box who gave him a smile.

William smiled back and pointed the Weapon to the tower that was in range. He took another breath and pulled the trigger. and watched another streak of gold fly to the tower only to watch it hit a shield that covered the entire tower.

“Right,” William muttered as he looked around. “I take it we will have to take out the Crystals-” Another explosion took place and another section of the town wall took flying lessons in different directions. As the debris fell to the ground there was a shaking boom from the remains of one of the towers in the real Sunny Town that rose in a dark foul purple cloud with specks of gold rising in the cloud.

“Never want to get you all mad I am starting to see.” William muttered as another explosion took another section of the town wall out. He noticed that the areas that they had cleared began to actually fade from the world leaving nothing but another charred black ground of death. Leaving nothing behind. William just stared in awe as the land that Celestia’s soldiers claimed took on nothing; not even a single stone was left strewn about. As he watched he saw wild grass also starting to eat away the dirt as well.

“Keep you eyes in the game. Just because we can’t-” The unicorn commander in the chariot fell silent as Celestia flew up to the side of the Chariot.

“here, I was able to create this based on the battle, they are the areas that we think the crystals are located. However the towers are the things that are holding the town to this plane. Keep opening up the towers and I can start destroying the anchors.” She tilted to fall back to the land. “But take the Crystals out for us.”

William only nodded his head as her troops acknowledge her. William for a moment got the thought of if this was how some of those support helicopter fighters felt? Maybe the Warthog pilots as well. He smiled a little at something from his past before loading another round and looked at the map that was now pinned in front of him. He saw sixteen remaining glowing dots with five more that were darkened. “Impressive map.” he muttered before looking at the map and then realized he could see where they were on the map as it was the only moving gold dot. He looked at the map a few times and the surroundings and Smiled as he pointed the RPG again at what to the air looked like a small plaza with a strange black shape in the middle. 

William sighted the RPG a little more carefully and fired again. He whooped when the gold explosion developed the entire plaza and then the black glowing dot vanished.

As he looked at the map again there were another sixteen red squares as well. These William in his head quickly deduced were the guard towers and the one closest to them just lost the black border. He hefted the launcher after it was loaded again by his very helpful unicorn and fired it at the base to the tower as they flew by it and all watched as the tower fell upon the now true state of Sunny Town. William looked at the map and pointed out ahead to where the next plaza should be as they continued to draw themselves closer to the keep in the middle that was launching yet another swarm of Nightmare Fliers.

William and the ground moved through a trying time, but due to overwhelming numbers of Celestia’s Solar Guards and the following of Volunteer groups. William and the other Chariots never encountered too heavy air trouble. While the other chariots had ground cover and supported the troops on the ground. William was their heavy attack chariot in that his weapon was so far the only thing that was able to take out the crystals and the towers in a timely manner. By the reckoning of those on the ground it was noon by the time the last of the towers fell and Celestia destroyed the anchor.

As the land began to fade of the buildings that once was the town. The middle keep that had remained silent suddenly began to glow and as the troops in the air and on the ground watched in horror more of the structure began to appear and expand. The map on the chariot also began to change and more glowing crystals and anchors appeared. William gulped a little as he had a feeling in his gut.

“Land the Chariot, I, I think we will need to assault the castle on hoof.” William whispered and tightened his grip on the side of the chariot as the Four Pegasus guards began to circling and done dove to land at where Celestia was already creating a command post.

William remain still as the chariot landed and slowly rolled to were Celestia was standing commanding troops and preparing for the assault on the castle. The chariot came to a full stop in front of Celestia and without much talking William walked off the back of the chariot and walked to Celestia. “Reporting in. I take it you need my weapons to take out the outer rings? I would guess that the outer ring of crystals and anchors need to be taken out to get to the center of the castle then?”

William looked at the map and the outlying guard towers of the castle. The castle had a large main complex with spoked walls and walkways leading from the center large building towards the six points on the outer guard towers. They all were behind a wall that was easily five stories tall with every stone in the building as black as night and gave a permanent air of an eery castle from the horror movies that would house the main villain or evil monster of said horror movie.

William looked at the map and his mouth twitched the towers looked to be both an anchor and crystal at the same time. He blinked as he felt a wing pull him back a little. He looked up and saw Celestia and she smiled a little as she moved back to the tent. She had a table and on it was a model of the castle built of magic. “Now,” Celestia spoke her voice strong, “The Anchors appear to be below the ground, however the Crystals are above the ground. She had a green circle appear near the top of the tower while a red square appears below the ground. “Now, we do not have much of a map for the interior so we can only assault the walls and castle.” She looked at her soldiers. “I want you all to protect William, He is at the moment the only one that can take out the anchors and Crystals. We will begin the assault in five minutes. I want you all ready to move by then.” She looked back at William. “I want you leading the charge.” She looked to the castle. “I am asking you for a very hard task. You have the only weapon that has enough power and surplus rounds to cause a dent in this monstrous structure.”

She looked at her men. “I want us to have a class one explosive charge at the main gate of the castle. I want a hole blown in all doorways they have. I will be calling in extra forces. We will have to secure the castle corridor by corridor.” She looked at her men. “The anchors are different than what we were facing in the town. So we have to be cautious.”

The soldiers all saluted. “Dismissed form up at the gates, William, I want you to start attacking the top of the walls with your RPGs, that hopefully will keep the Nightmares busy.”

William nodded his head. “Shall I gather the troops from the chariot I was in?”

Celestia only nodded her head before walking to another part of the camp. William quickly left and found the same soldiers around the chariot. He looked at them. “I need you all to come with me. We are going to soften up the target.”

The others only saluted and helped carry the crate to the side of the castle. WIlliam had the RPG loaded and he took a knee and aimed at the two towers that were at the shorter end of the rectangular wall. However to William’s and the others confusion there were also six gates that were between a set of two towers. There were two at each end with three along the long wall. These towers gave William an uneasy feeling as he slowed his breathing and sighted the top of the gates. He was aiming towards where soldiers could drop nasty surprises upon anything that might try and assault the gates.  He let out a breath and pulled the trigger as another gold stream of fire and smoke streaked towards the position and smiled as the weapon hit and exploded into the stone and mortar sending the stuff raining down as as well as flying.

To his shock there was another cry and from the other side came the resounding boom of more cannon fire. To William's left three Solar Pegasus took to the air to see what was happening. They seemed to see something before they turned and fell to the ground at a fast glide as they hit the ground in a full gallop as they met with Princess Celestia. William did not hear what it was that was spoken. He did turn back as the the sound of falling stone finished sounding all over the place. Already he could hear alarm bells being rung as the castle woke to the sudden attack. William without thinking quickly reloaded his RPG and aimed at the top of the tower and fired a rocket only to have it hit some kind of energy shield around the outer tower stones. He didn’t waste any more shots as he went back to loading another RPG and fired at the same place he had hit before but a little more to the left sending more stones falling and flying and as he loaded yet another RPG he heard the same barrage of cannon fire.

By this time Celestia walked towards William and waited for the booming of cannons to finish before speaking and holding a wing out to keep William from firing as he saw her troops race forward to the gate. “It appears my sister is attacking the north end of the castle with her own troops, while I had wished her not to get involved.” She stopped their and left the rest unsaid. 

William actually looked at the large wooden gate as it was blown to splinters leaving a gaping hole for them to rush through or to bottleneck any troops that were going to attack through the hole. William looked then at Celestia, “Yet I think you should let her do this, this can be therapeutic to her to let her attack and push back at the creatures that took a thousand years from a loving sibling relationship. So, I will say let invade, she will help split the forces in the castle and give us a means to push forward.”

Celestia only nodded slowly before she turned to a unicorn who had a horn at the ready with another nod at the guard the unicorn blew into the horn and the soldiers pushed forward. Unicorn Solar Guards were quick to raise miniature shields over groups of troops as they rushed the gateway. William was shocked when Celestia herself picked him up and placed her on his back. “I want you to fire your rocket at any groups of enemies once we are in. My magic shall protect you for the most part.” She didn’t wait for a phrase and took off at a gallop that was the same speed as William’s heavy weapons team as he was calling them.

They grew closer and closer to the forces only to have a cloud of Nightmare Fliers take off from the center castle keep. Without thinking William raised the RPG and fired off the round. It flew so fast at a rather thick cloud that it actually impacted one of the fliers who was not paying attention creating a mist of gold and black that grew out in a small ball of energy. There was a cry and the fliers were now flying right at them. “Oh snap.” William whispered as he found his rifle being floated up to him by Celestia. Without thinking William took the rifle and raised it up and fired a few shots at the cloud of enemies. He grinned a little too much he felt at the sound of cries of pain before he began to unleash a full automatic fire. The other Solar guards were soon battling in the air and William had to be a little more careful with his weapon fire now but still they were now fighting hard. Suddenly half of the cloud broke off and flew to the other end of the castle causing the cloud to fall back and allowed the Solar Guards to take the gate and the gate house. They were quick to dig in and use the debris as projectiles that the Battlemages were quick to use in throwing as well. In this chaos of battle William found himself dropped to the ground. Celestia looked down at William. “Go, take out these two towers and weaken the enemy.”

William only nodded his head and raced towards some stone steps leading to the battlements and the pathway to the targets. He smiled as he felt the RPG launcher bounce on his back as he held tight to the rifle as he threw himself to the ground on the steps and crawled up the final steps and saw a ground of Nightmare skeletons. Without thinking he pulled the RPG launcher off his back and pointed it at the enemy. He heard his weapons team members fall to the steps as well to avoid the back blast. He grinned and fired the RPG and saw the group of unicorn skeletons disappear into nothing. He also noted that the door they had come from was also torn apart. William looked and saw that there were no more enemies on the wall and with another quick burst of speed he took off to the door and placed himself against it. He took another deep breath before one of his guards in his team pulled a satchel off his back and handed it to him. William looked into the satchel and smiled. “My grenades.” He took one out and pulled the pin before he tossed it into the doorway and they all listened to it bounce down some steps before exploding. The group quickly rushed through the door that lead into the first tower. They found themselves in a ground floor that looked to have been a guard station. Most likely where the unicorn skeletons came from. William and the ground looked around and saw the stone steps that lead up to the top of the Tower and they saw another set of steps that curved down into the bottom of the tower and the location of where the anchor would be. William pointed to the steps that lead up and with his rifle at the ready they quickly moved to race up to the top floor.

What unnerved them was just how empty the tower was in their way up towards the Crystal. In fact they found nothing in any of the rooms in the tower that was something that could be considered an enemy. They found themselves in the final floor of the tower. The ceiling reached up into the rafters of the peaked roof. In the center of the room was a dark crystal that was in the shape of a three dimensional diamond. Around the outer walls were a kaleidoscope of colors of stained glass windows there were four windows that faced cardinal directions as directed by the compass on the floor. The compass was painted on the floor and the direction of north was facing towards the main castle building. William pulled out his own compass and looked at it. He saw that the magnetic north was in fact facing the opposite way. One of his guards gasped and stepped back as a arch of black energy shot from the crystal toward the main building. William with a bit of curiosity and having played a few Zelda video games felt like this was a puzzle. He got on his knees and looked at the arrow and smiled as he found something interesting. He looked up and saw a pole leaning against the wall.

“Can you get me that pole? I think we can use it to change the direction this arrow is facing.” he pondered a little. “Let’s see what happens if we point it towards the other tower, hopefully we can overload these towers.” 

The unicorn that had been helping with loading his RPG smiled and picked the rod up with his magic and quickly brought it over to William who took the rod and stuck it into the hole in the ground. William stood up using the rod as a support means to let him stand. He smiled and tugged on the rod but nothing happened so he pushed the rod and it began to move a little. He pushed harder and soon the platform he was standing on began to move as well with the sound of gears turning and tumblers moving. Suddenly the platform began to actually turn on its own before it locked into place facing the other tower and with a strange build up the crystal began to turn blue before shooting down causing the tower to shake and tremble a little as they heard the sounds of something crashing and shattering.

William in fear looked at his guards. “MOVE!” He yelled as they all took off towards the stairs and raced down them for fear of the castle was going to fall apart. However as they stepped onto the main floor metal spikes fell down blocking the exit and fields of magic covered the stairs up and down. In the middle of the room a dark ball of magic was pulsing and growing as it took the shape of a Lunar Guard but the shadows around it was bleeding off.

Red eyes opened and glowed as it growled in a beastial rage and launched an attack at the Solar Guards only to be stunned as William attacked it with his rifle. The magic ball at the heart of the being shattered after a few tense moments from the sudden rifle fire. William looked around as the traps faded or rose back into the ceiling. “Okay, seems these traps were not built for my weapon in mind. Sorry for breaking the atmosphere.”

The guards laughed a little. “Do not worry. I rather you cheat and save our lives then play by the rules that are here.” They slowly began stepped towards the tower when the ground shook again and from the basement a surge of dark blue magic surged over them and out of the walls. They quickly ran to the door and saw that the magic dome had spread out and cleansed a part of the castle. In fact the damage on half the gate appeared to be rebuilt in the new stone color of this tower. A Midnight indigo blue.

Celestia was still as she looked at the tower, an odd look in her eyes before looking at the Castle keep. William could see on the other side of the keep and the walls were swarming with Lunar Guards now. Their was another earth shaking boom and another tower turned from black to blue. He noticed something different from the towers and so he looked back at the tower he and the other members of the heavy weapons team had exited. “So this is Luna’s summer palace from before the war.”

The Solar Guards just looked at William. “Are you telling me that we are fighting at the site and birth of the Lunar Guards?” The small group of Guards paused at that realization.

William slowly nodded his head. “As we are destroying the anchors. I think we are going to return it to the normal location, after all do you not have a Solar Palace?”

The guards looks of worry was the only answer he got but it was enough for William to know that he had guessed correctly that Celestia had a Solar Palace, and that was the home of the Solar Guard. Just like at the moment they were fighting at the birth of the Lunar Guard. “Well,” William spoke with a grin. “let’s return the Lunar Palace to it’s proper hidden location.” He did not see the nervous looks of the guards that gave him an odd look before following him towards the other tower. The courtyard around the castle was being cleared before the monsters all retreated back into the castle as another tower fell to Luna’s forces.

Right as they were about to enter the tower Lunar Guards landed in front of them and flared their wings. “Only William Howard may pass beyond the doorway. The rest of you, please return to the courtyard and your Princess Luna will wish to speak to you all while WIlliam finishes this tower.”

William looked at the Lunar Guards with a little worry but he slowly nodded his head. The guards let him thru the doorway and as he turned around that returned to a guard formation outside the door.

The inside of the tower was just like the first tower that William had been in. Without even thinking he quickly moved to the top as the ground shook more as another tower was converted to Luna’s magic. William actually grinned a little at being part of history. He paused however and realized that he was never going to see the season finale of season three he looked out one of the small windows that would have allowed arrows to be fired off from the stairway and laughed a little. After all, why worry about missing the finale of a TV show when he was literally living in the world of Equestria and, he gulped and forced himself to keep moving he couldn’t dwell on the other problem of living in another world.

He got to the Crystal room and saw the rod already sitting in the floor and without thinking WIlliam began to activate the tumblers only to hear a screech and the stained glass window on his left shattered as two Flying Demons broke into the room for William to fight. William steeled himself as in his head somehow something began to play. He blinked as the music started to fill the room. The crystal glowing a Luna blue as it shed the blackness of the Nightmares. 

Cornered at the top of the tower William only smiled a little as he raised his rifle up. “You took me as a weakling who would grab at your poisoned honeyed words? I am not one who would seek power without cause. I have the power I have because I earned it with respect. I have been blessed by Celestia and Luna as a champion of the kingdom of Equestria. I may not have parades or armies under me. I don’t need those. All I need is the knowledge that I am doing right and that my actions will help even just one Pony, one Person, then I have the courage to fight.” He didn’t know why he said the next words the way he did but he raised the rifle at the confused Nightmare Fliers. “Take That!” he yelled as he dispatched both Nightmares as the music began to fade from room. William thought he heard a war cry as some kind of black flash of light occurred behind the unbroken stained glass window to his right. For a second he thought he saw a shape slam into the side of an object heading his way. He was shaken by the last event before he took a deep breath and went to pick up the discarded pole to activate the final tower. He smiled as the final gears locked into place as the crystal hummed to life and with a surge of power shot down into the heart of the tower.

The tower shook like the other times a heart have been freed from the anchor and he slowly walked down the stairs still on alert and fearful for any traps that might be in the main floor waiting for him. What did not expect was Luna in her full battle rattle waiting for him. Her eyes harsh till William stepped fully onto the floor. She spread her wings as her expression softened. “It seemed thou are diving further into my past then I had expected.” Her gaze looked off towards a wall but William had the idea she was reliving another memory. “I made this place mine when I become the dictator of the moon.” She paused and laughed a little. “I guess for you that word carries,” She paused and smirked at William locking eyes with him. “To me that name now carries baggage I do not like, yet it is an ancient title, my first title before Discord.” She sighed as she folded her wings and looked tired. “This was my personal retreat, my, place to go and think when the Everfree Castle became too much.” She shivered and bowed her head. “After we defeated Discord, we took full control of the cycle of the celestial bodies. We never figured out what Discord did, only that if my sister and I did not take full control the solar system upon which we live in would have torn itself apart. I took the moon, my sister the sun.” She looked at the clouds. “The pageant is wrong in one thing.”

William blinked and stepped forward. “Oh? How is it wrong?” William was actually curious about this.

“Oh, just that their were two small tribes of unicorns that were in charge of the sun and moon.” Luna actually laughed. “Even then, it was symbolic back then, before the windigos.” She moved to sit at the guards table on the first floor. “Thank you for not looting anything in my towers.”She added as she waited for William to sit on one of the wooden stools.

She waited for him to settle in before continuing. “When Discord was sealed, the magic he left was, horrible. We had much rebuilding. The Everfree Castle was built, yet, my sister and I had a problem. The mages of old were now declaring us their leaders.” She sighed as a tinge of anger seeped into her voice. “My sister took the Solar Mages in, they slowly became the nobility of today.” She looked downcast. “As for the ponies of the night, they had this keep away from the others to protect knowledge and keep themselves safe from those that wanted to use them.” She sighed. “Soon my Sister took to enjoying the praise and soon stopped trying to include me in everything of the praise and what not. As the Ponies were hard at work in the day, they all slept in the night forgetting about it, shunning it.” She grew dark in her expression as an iron horseshoe clapped the stone floor in anger. “Soon it really felt like the only ones left were the grandchildren of the original mages who still praised me for the night sky. Who taught me how to add my artistic touches to the night sky. I invented the Aurora Borealis, shooting stars to wish upon. Even stars and constellations to honor friends of both I and my sister. Then came the nobles who talked my sister into regulating my night sky. To tone down the sky’s vibrance and beauty.” She grew darker still in her eyes. “Then came the faction in my own people, the Black Suns and the original followers, my NIght Watch.” She grew sorrowful. In the same night I became Nightmare Moon, the Black Suns attacked and killed my loyal Night Watch so that they could not use any emotions to free me from the Nightmare’s grasp.”

William blinked at a small memory. “They never gave you credit for the Crystal Empire.” William pulled back suddenly in fear of being hit. 

Luna only looked at William and nodded sadly. “Yes, that was one of the final crossed lines.” Luna however smiled a little. “As such in a fit of anger long ago, I made a promise that my sister would never see the inside of my palace. My sister did not make the same promise and tried many times to invite me to her Solar Palace.” She sighed but her eyes remained hard. “That is why I asked her to leave the grounds, and, I must ask thee as well, while you are a Lunar Guard, you are not fully one, nor even a full Moon Beam. I,” she paused and William caught a blush this time. “I do hope to change that soon, but it will cost you when you re=enter the gates.” She leaned forward. “I need you to tell me about your own past, your passions, things like that. I am better at bottling up your memories, but memories are cheating in a way.” She moved and began to walk before looking at him with a cheeky look as William moved to walk out of the room as well. “Oh no you don’t, my sister got to let you ride on her back into battle, then let me escort you out like the hero you are.”

Without waiting for William’s response she pulled him up into the air in her magic before placing him on her back and smiled as she walked out the door and causing William the need to duck a little. As they exited the doorway he saw that the sun was passing the halfway mark in the sky. Outside their were only Lunar Guards who were standing around in the courtyard. As soon as they saw William on Luna’s back they all moved to attention until Luna made a motion with one of her wings. At that the guards all began to shout and cheer and to William’s amazement the towers responded to the cries of the Lunar Guard and Luna’s graceful walk down the steps. The Towers began to pulse the same colored magic as Luna’s horn and each pulse sent an afterglow further and further towards the middle building as the entire time the guards continued their cheering. William leaned in and smiling whispered his own words. “I am proud of you.” It was those small words that caused a thunderclap of energy and sound as the towers threw a large amount of magic at the center keep and with a shattering of glass the rest of the stones that were black turned to the color of Luna’s coat. As he watched the courtyard began to fill with flowers and fauna that were hauntingly beautiful and he was sure he heard the sound of a fountain starting to run again. Luna stopped suddenly as the words registered with her mind. 

She  smiled softly as she turned her head to William. “Thank you.” She whispered back before she took William in her magic and lightly lifted him off her back and placed him on his feet. As he did so she looked to her left and a Lunar Guard walked forward his horn red with magic and a box was glowing red as well. Luna slowly took the box in her magic and looked at William with a grin. “William Howard, for actions today in sealing the Sunny Town rebellion of Nightmares, as well as returning to me, and my men our true heritage.” She opened the box and there inside it was a metal feather that hung horizontally by a moon white ribbon that had a metal rectangle with the awards name in Equestrian at the top where it pinned to one’s uniform. The shape and design was of Luna’s primary feather. “I wish to award you the Royal Lunar Primary Feather.” She spoke with firmness. “While you might not have thought so, you had the legal and full rights to refuse to fight here, to even stay behind the front lines, instead you committed yourself and your tools of war to our cause and allowed a swift victory that saw relatively few casualties.” She took the feather and placed it upon William’s chest  She grinned a little. “Now, go on, we shall escort you to the gates where I am sure my sister has questions to ask of you. Answer her fully, it will come hopefully with less emotion and sting from you and not I.”

William only saluted Luna with a US salute before her guards began to lead him out. As Luna watched that she was finding an odd sensation in her chest that should could not fully place. She sighed as a small fear crept into her mind which was hoping she didn’t make a fool of herself doting on him too much. She paused at the thought and made a mental note to speak to somepony later about what she was feeling. She turned and faced her Troops while opening her mouth and taking a breath to speak.

> Of Moon, Nightmares, and Ponies
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

	William found himself someplace other than where he last remembered himself being as he opened his eyes and looked around without moving his body. He looked around in confusion wondering what was happening as the last thing he remembered was being escorted out of Luna’s Palace and into the ranks of Celestia’s Guards. He had moved to the Command Tent and at the invitation of Celestia sat down. Now he was waking up and his eyes caught the sight of the roof of the Apple Family barn. He yawned and the first thing he felt was to roll over to get a little more sleep. He blinked however as he realized he was or had been sleeping on a pile of hay in the corner. He slowly looked around and saw that there were a lot of other small hay beds with sleeping forms of multi colored unicorns and pegasus. He then saw in the middle stacked neatly and orderly the armor and weapons of the Lunar Guard. He slowly sat up in realizing that he must have sleep the rest of the morning and, he paused to look at his watch and saw that he had slept most of the day away. Then again he did just go through what felt like days of little sleep. “I guess I needed that.” He muttered to himself.

He slowly yawned a big yawn as a few of the guards picked their heads up and looked at him with eyes that unnerved him. The eyes were normal and for WIlliam having spent the last few days with the Lunar Guards while in armor and uniform to see them out of their armor just unnerved him. He blinked as a blue Unicorn walked up to him and bowed his head a little. “I am sorry.” He whispered before stepping aside to let a Lunar Guard in armor and a Solar Guard in armor as well just looked at him. “The Princesses of Day and Night wish for your presence in the Farm House. They want to finish this quickly so they can return the farm back to the Apple Family.” The Solar Guard spoke crisply while staring at William as one would look at a POW.

William slowly nodded his head as he stood up fully and brushed off the hay on his clothing. “okay, lead the way.” William looked around for his weapons only to have both ponies spread their wings to stop him. 

“We need to move NOW,” The tone from the Solar Guard was such that William had the feeling that he should not argue. He took a deep breath a little as he felt suddenly uneasy and he looked at the shadows. He looked back and thought he caught the look of worry pass between the two ponies.

They quickly led him out of the barn and to WIlliam’s heightened fear found eight more guards, four from each side of the Princesses take up a formation around him. He saw that their were all three types of ponies protecting him. He blinked and felt suddenly more ill at ease. The formation was not used unless guarding either a high priority target that was being led to more secure holdings, or a Princess protection detail. He gulped and started to sweat as he saw the farmhouse as it almost was swarming with guards. He saw cannons on clouds from Luna’s military and a lot of other signs of temporary dug in defenses. 

They led him through the back door and right into the kitchen. He saw only Luna and Celestia standing there and looking at each others till William walked into the kitchen and then turned their gaze upon William.

Luna smiled a little, “Now, we can begin dear sister and thou wilt learn why I am pushing hard for the steps outlined.”

Celestia nodded and using her magic pulled a chair to the table and nodded for William to sit down. “Now, can either one of you explain to me why you and Luna are so ill at ease with telling me a potential threat?” She looked at Luna with a hurt look. “You are my sister, we, I want to never make the same mistake that I did those thousand years ago. I want to help you now, we are meant to rule side by side. I learned that one hard way.”

Luna looked at her sister and with worry brushed one foreleg against the other and bowed her head. “William, you are a human and I know that you can be blunt. SO please use that human bluntness here.”

Celestia looked at her sister with concerned before fixing William with a look that made him think of a mother that was very angry at a child and wanted the truth right that instant. He gulped and slowly spoke. “What your sister is, well how I am reading it as is this.” He closed his own eyes and took a deep breath. “She created life on the moon, her own ponies and a tree and melted ice to form water. She created a civilization once the anger of Nightmare Moon was suppressed by the Elements.”

He stopped talking and bowed his head further as he could feel the same shame that Luna most likely was feeling. He flinched as he heard the clip clop of hooves on the floor and suddenly felt a wing on his right shoulder and felt himself pulled closer to Celestia’s warm body. The action caused William to open his eyes and realized that Celestia was pulling William and Luna into a hug. She had this strange look in her eye now as she looked at Luna and William. “Well, then I will have to say this is something to celebrate. My baby sister created her own life. This is-” she trailed off at seeing the look in both William and Luna’s eye. “What, happened?” She slowly spoke.

Those words were all that was needed and while William pulled back Luna buried her head into Celestia’s chest and bawled a little in a way that reminded William of what must have been the tearful reunion after the purging of the Elements of Harmony. during the bawling she related the memories that she had shared with William. As William watched the moment of sister to sister actions he saw yet more hurt that crossed over Celestia’s eyes upon learning of the complete betrayal of even more ponies. 

Celestia suddenly found Luna pushing her back as she sniffed loudly and recomposed herself with a more dignified pose. “Now that you know more of my past.” She looked at William, “I shall explain to the two of you more of why this is really more important and worrisome.” She lowered her head and closed her eyes and channeled magic into her horn.

above the table a smaller map of Equestria in a three dimensional image shimmered a little. “Now Sister, as thou knowest. Equestria in general and Equis as a whole is much more conductive of magic and has a better pool then the Moon. I had to drop my own mana into the Moon’s world so it is not a strong.” She slowly looked at Celestia. “For the Nightmares to cross into this plane enmass they have to capture some key areas of massive magic pools.” She lit up the map in some areas. “The two big ones are Everfree, and Canterlot. Thankfully with your trust in William we destroyed their ready made bridge through Sunny Town. Sadly, with the Lunar Ponies, my ponies, they were working on a means to travel to earth in spacecraft.” Luna shivered and William felt that this was a very hard and rough thing to talk about.

Celestia just looked at her sister. “So how do we, and I want to help you sister.” She spoked moving a wing out to touch her sister. “You tell me how hard you want me to be.”

Luna looked up in tears. “Just hard enough to purge the nightmares from them, they were my friends, I know all of them. I am just,” her eyes lowered softly. “I just want to give them the same chance you gave me.” 

Celestia only smiled and stepped closer and placed a wing on her sister’s head. “I shall do my utmost to only purge the nightmares from thine citizens.” Celestia only smiled with the kind that a sibling would that was trying to be on the same level as a close sibling.

however she looked back at William with annoyance and then at Luna. “Humans it seems can cause nothing but chaos by existing, no wonder Discord liked him on sight.” She turned around and began to leave. “We shall hope you keep me appraised on what you plan on doing. I shall defer to your knowledge here.”

As she moved to go Luna gulped and looked at her sister before leaning in and whispering more information that to William’s eyes did nothing as both had their backs to him. Still after a few minutes of quick conversation Celestia left leaving Luna in the farmhouse.

Luna looked at William. “Let us go outside and meet the family, they should be out the front, but we should go out the back and walk around to the front of the farmhouse.”

William and Luna both walked around to the front only to see something and made William actually pause mid step before continuing with Luna. Luna herself was only smiling. “So,” She began, “We meet again Cutie Mark Crusaders.” William only looked at Luna and back at the larger group of children in front of him. There were definitely more than just the ones that he had saved from last night. William was not prepared for the loud cheer that the fillies and colts gave when the founders saw him. The noise was best described as deafening.

While the meeting of Luna and William with the Apple Family and the Cutie Mark Crusaders started Zecora was making her own way back to her forest home. However due to the situation she was having to take another course through the woods leading her near a small boggy area of the forest that she was using to see if their were any new plants that she might be able to use in her brews and herbal staves.

As she walked she blinked as a section of land seemed to sparkle in the manner of a failing enchantment and her being an enchantress with her own type of magic slowly stopped and looked around before walked to another angle. It was like she had been walking down the streets of Ponyville when suddenly there was a break in the enchantment and like looking down a clear alleyway she saw what was being hidden. She stepped forward and it was gone just as quickly and so with slowness she backed up and finally saw the hidden object. With the grace of a Zebra of Earth she turned and took off towards Sweet Apple Acres and the large group of soldiers she looked back quickly as she got the sense that something was watching her now. Still she could see the land shimmering brighter than before and upon seeing that her speed was doubled. Whatever that thing was it was not native to the forest.

Meanwhile back at the ranch the group had moved to be in one of the orchard of apples. William was still looking back a little at Luna and her guards as well as the group of adults wondering how it was that he had been called and asked to watch over the entire group of Cutie Mark Crusaders. “I am watching the most destructive force in all of Ponyville.”

He was still rubbing his head from hitting his head on a low hanging tree branch at learning that their were more than four members of the CMC. He was still trying to work out how to ask some questions without sounding like he knows too much about them.

Sweetie Belle squeaked in shock. “What? How, we don’t mean to, we just.” She trailed off as Scootaloo took over with a boastful look and polished a hoof on her chest.

“We just are that awesome, even though we seem to end up with tree sap all the time.” She paused at the end before looked over her shoulder. “Hey Dinky, what was it you said was why we always are getting in trouble?”

Dinky looked up as she seemed to have been writing something in a blue book. “Oh, well what is happening is that with the activities you all have been through and done. It has left an imprint that even when you earn your cutie marks anytime all of us are together, we shall, well as my daddy would say. We can affect the very fabric of space time and that is brilliant.”

The rest only nodded their heads while another small colt smiled a little. “I like your dad, he never yells at us, well, in anger. He does yell but half the time even I can’t understand him and he and I share the same accent region.” William slowly nodded his head, this was Pipsqueak who was talking. Still he looked around himself before looking back at Apple Bloom.

“Can I have a role call so I can know just who is here? I rather not have to send out any search teams.” William chuckled a little as he adjusted his rifle on his back. He realized that might have been one reason, so many blank flanks and one, he trailed off as he looked at Luna what was she doing? She was creating a very tempting target for the Nightmares. Then again if Celestia was right, then their should be no more Nightmares to worry about.

He was blown out of his thoughts by yelling and suddenly all the fillies and Colts were standing in front of Applebloom, Scootaloo, and Sweetie Belle.  He slowly watched as the CMC conducted a head count.

“Right,” Applebloom began. “We shall read off the names based on membership enrollment.” She looked at Sweetie Belle. “You may commence reading the roll.”

She nodded her head. “Applebloom, Sweetie Belle, Scootaloo.” As she read their was a here spoken. She moved then to more of the list. “Babs Seed, Dinky Doo, Pipsqueak, and Honorary member Twist.” She turned to face Applebloom. “All are accounted for.”

WIlliam smiled as they all quickly broke ranks and began to play again, however Dinky with Pipsqueak walked over to William and sat down to look up at William. “You wondering some things, like why you have only heard about the first three?”

William blinked and looked up and around the clearing to keep watch before speaking. “Yeah, I was wondering that.”

Dinky smiled and laughed. “It was something my dad told them, expand a little and include friends no matter if they have a cutie mark or not. Hence that Honorary Member, that way we all can be Cutie Mark Crusaders even when we earn our marks.” Dinky smiled a little. “Also, just to let you know, this is all new, about a month old on the ideas. Happened after my dad found out that Spike took the CMC on a train ride to the Crystal Empire. This way, we can keep an eye on everypony better and not cause fears like that.”

“Smart man,” William paused a little and gave a quick look toward Dinky before looking back out into the field. “Who is your dad anyway?”

Pipsqueak laughed and spoke this time. “Doctor Time Turner as he likes to call himself at times.” He paused. “But he likes it if we just call him Doctor, says its easier on everypony around if we do that.”

William could only laugh a little at the comments, he had meet Doctor Time Turner once already, so he could guess where that was going still he looked at the two. “So why come hang with the scary human?” As that was what Granny Smith had called him and thrown two apples at him before anyone or pony could stop her.

“Because you use your scariness and danger to help others.” Dinky responded in a childlike manner.

“Also you look all cool, almost as cool as Pirates are.” Pipsqueak replied as well before the two began to laugh. 

“Still, you better run off and join your friends, I don’t want-” He trailed off as shouting was heard and they all saw a Zebra run full pelt out of the Everfree Forest running towards the Farmhouse. “Well this might,” William looked up and raised his voice. “OKAY CMC MOVE TO THE FARMHOUSE YARD!”

His voice rang through the clearing as the CMC looked at him, William quickly thought of something else. “I’LL SEE IF THERE IS APPLE PIE-” He didn't get any farther before a stampede of tiny ponies almost bowled him over as they raced to the yard. “Oh dear.” he muttered in fear of what he might have just promised in a child’s mind.

William tried to run but was finding it a little hard to run then last night, he was sore for one thing. The other was that his body felt tired and worn out, as if he was having trouble breathing. Still he pushed it to the back of his mind and as he got closer it did look like the Apple Family was serving apple pie to the fillies and colts. William smiled a little till he saw a few Night Guards forming up around him and Luna with Zecora walking at her side approached him.

Luna looked at William and then at her troops. “I want to take William to the barn to draw blood.” She looked at William now. “I realized that I would rather not have any undue risk of blood infections or the like. For you, I would rather know now if your blood is compatible with others, or others with your own.” She looked at Zecora, “Meet me at the edge of the orchards when thou art done. We have a situation that needs all our special troops attention.”

William blinked but knew from Luna’s tone of voice not to question her in the open on the problem and so followed the two guards to the barn yet again. Inside he found another of her bat winged ponies. This one to his amusement was wearing a white band around both forehooves with a red cross, also on his helmet was a white circle with a red cross. “Even in cross dimensions, that seems to be the symbol of healing and medicine.”

The medic only chuckled. “I am happy to hear you know what this means.” The pony motioned to another bale of hay and a Unicorn with the same signs of a medic. “Don’t mind bloodsucker or I, he is here to keep the area purified for the drawing of blood.”

“Bloodsucker?” William asked as he took off the battle blouse and saw a dark blue undershirt. He sat down and held his arm out to be poked while looking away.

“Don’t like needles?” Bloodsucker asked as he walked over to look into his eyes while his horn glowed the uniform red color. “Yet you have fangs in your mouth, nice ones at that with your helmet on.”

William looked in confusion and found a mirror in front of him and he saw that as he opened his mouth, while he could not feel them. There were two sharp fangs in his mouth thanks to the helmet, in fact they were right where is own canines should have been. “Woah.” He spoke in a confused manner. “That is freaky yet cool.” He felt a sting at that moment and a pressure cuff around his upper arm as well. He grimmiched before Bloodsucker pulled the mirror down showing his own fangs. They were smaller than Williams.

“As for my name, that is really a nickname for any of the medics. Kind of a running gag, what with us looking like vamponies.” The pony in front of him chuckled a little. “Our commander liked it, so the nickname has stuck in the ranks.”

“Good way of keeping the real names safe.” She looked at William a little. “That way when we are off duty, nopony would know that we are Night Guards or not.” He smiled as William turned to look at the procedure and saw the pony removing a full vial of blood and putting a new one on. He saw that they were going to take three vials. “After all, with the way Ponies look at us. It is good that we can blend in. We can be the ears for Luna for outside of the royal courts.”

“makes sense.” William muttered as he took a deep breath and shivered a little causing his back to pop a little. “Oww.” He grunted from the wave of pain. Even as he spoke he felt something funny in his body as he saw the horn on the other medic glowing. “What are you doing?” William inquired with curiosity.

“A quick body scan to see how your body is doing, so far, it just looks-” He trailed off. “What did you do last night?”

“Uh wrestled a Nightmare Flyer, got thrown off a ledge by some fillies in the throes of fear, and oh, rolled into a ditch.”

He didn’t like the tsk sound he heard from the unicorn medic. “Okay, I am going to be asking the Princess to put you on bed rest for a few days. You hurt your back, you have bruising all over your body, and your blood pressure is high and-” He seemed to be silent. “They, you, you had open, HOW DID THEY LET YOU INTO THIS BATTLE?!” The medic yelled the last part.

“Uh, only one that can use the weapons, and, one of Celestia’s guards told her and I that I had to fight. Oh, also the Nightmares were wanting me, so maybe a little baiting as well?” William was sweating a little from the angry look from Bloodsucker.

“Bloodsucker what’s?” She stopped as she had to finish removing the final vial and place the cotton and tourniquet type bandage on his arm. She finished and packed the items away in a mist producing container that William figured was magically cooled he had moved his eyes to look anywhere but Bloodsucker.

“His chest was split open, his heart cut and sewn shut with repair work on on the heart itself, I, I remember reading that their was a medical problem but that he was needed for this assault no matter what, I thought it was magic backlash, but this. This is not, Luna what was she thinking? I am the medic and her personal physician... How can she be so reckless?”

William blinked and bristled at the words feeling like he was about to rant about Luna. “Hey, you think I wanted to be here? Fighting Nightmares? Well we can’t have what we want.” His angry outburst faded suddenly. “At least, at least I am alive and not in some river from gangs who wanted to kill me to initiate a new member.” He lowered his eyes. “So being able to hear this, makes me, well a little happy.” William’s voice fell into a more self thinking and retrospective thought process. The two medics looked back at each other.

“Okay,” Bloodsucker began in a much calmer tone of voice. “I will be recommending to Luna to place you on advisor rosters with medical leeways. I, I just am or was shocked. Above all as that works seems decades more than what we have gotten so far. At least outside of Canterlot.” 

The other medic smiled a little. “Let me escort you then to Luna, we can get this worked out.” the medic bat pony looked at Bloodsucker. “You think he is good for a good walk? Or should he be placed in a chariot?”

Bloodsucker fell silent for a bit. “Walking should be fine Neck Bitter.” the name was spoke totally normal and the two ponies did not act at all like it was an unusual name. Still William was trying to figure out just what kind of exchange just happened all the way till he was brought before Luna who was now talking with some of her troops. William was asked to stay back while Neck Bitter spoke to Luna about the procedures and recommendations Bloodsucker gave.

William blinked as Luna looked up at WIlliam in concern before muttering something to Neck Bitter before turning and walking towards William. Without a word she picked WIlliam up and placed him on her back. “Uh Commander?” he started to question before his rifle was also floated up to him.

“I want you to sit up there and give a little over watch.” Luna spoked as she looked at the gathering guards. “I feel it would be good for you to be nearby if what I have a feeling is true. So I am going to listen to the doctors, still we need thee still in the current situation.” She paused and looked forward yet William had to curse a little at the body reading he had gotten from Luna, he could see that Luna was nervous about something and and he didn’t know how to breach that kind of subject. At least without around so many of her guards.

Still the silence around the forest was prevailing. William looked around the edge of the Everfree Forest as they walked now in a more twilight setting due to the foliage covering and block the light from entering the forest floor. He blinked at the feeling of, well riding bareback on a winged equine with a horn protruding from the forehead. “Luna... this is just, I do not know what to even, is this even allowable?” He was nervous as frankly, was their taboos? social norms? Still his body tingled from Luna’s magic surrounding him as she lifted him up to her back.



William blinked and yawned a little wondering why he felt tired all of a sudden when Luna paused along with the others in the group. William blinked and shook his head and looked around in worry. Before he could speak he felt himself pulled off her back gently while her horn glowed the color of her magic. “William if you would care, can you come with me to scout ahead?”

William slowly nodded his head while swallowing, something felt off and he didn’t know what it was. Still he followed Luna forward into the forest and further into the falling light due to the forest cover of the Everfree Forest.  To William surprise a clearing soon came into his sights and Luna walked forward into it. In the middle of it was a gutted stone cottage that was abandoned with nothing but said stone walls. The building looked like it had been gutted by a fire long ago. 

Luna paused in front of the dark door. “This is a site that,” She paused and turned around to face William. “When I was banished, the most loyal of my guards came to Celestia with a project. While many of the guards were to be disbanded and either absorbed into the Solar or Royal Guards. Released into the world or placed into the dungeons. They suggested that she kill them so that they could become her ears and eyes. The ponies that did that were those that guarded me personally, while the Moonbeams are the forces that are for my protection. These are the ones that have access to my tower, to my armory and are in my most inner circle.” She smiled softly. “For the thousand years after new members were ceremonially killed or died in the line of duty to become the Dead Lunatics.” She sat down and looked at the cottage. “That is where the word came from. A Lunatic was a pony that was totally devoted to me. When I returned I decided to retain the group as they came from my most loyal of bodyguards.” She suddenly stood up. “Come,” She spoke with a tone of a friend wishing to show something.

William stepped forward with wary and fearful looks. He entered the cottage and froze in horror. There on a stone table open to the air was a wooden box with, with his own body in it. Luna stood over the head and looked down. “I know you are a human and not of my own kind, but with what the Nightmares showed you, what you know now.” SHe looked up with half glowing eyes. “I have no choice, but to make you an honorary Dead Lunatic. The Nightmares are trying to tear us apart, make the human fear I and my people. Instead, they are pushing two war vets together to keep sane.” She looked back down. “This way you can be moved higher into the tower, and you can have access to the Lunar Castle. I have set the Military rules that govern my troops and my personal lands. I can only work around them like I am to make things easier for thee.” She looked down. “The only thing I ask is that you are the one to place the lid on your own coffin to finish this ceremony.”

William looked around and with a little harder breaths he saw the lid. He slowed his breathing and moved over to pick it up. To his own surprise he found it heavy and bulky. So he had to slowly drag the wooden cover over the stone floors and to the stone table. He gulped and moved the lid and using leverage was able to push it up onto the coffin and then pushed it around to fully cover it. The moment he did there was a loud crash of thunder and a lightening bolt that hit the coffin blinding him.

William awoke in shock and adrenaline as he looked around blinking. “Where’s the cottage?” He asked in fear.

The Night Guard to his left only laughed a little. “Ah, so that was why you dropped dead on Luna’s back. Welcome to the family.” The guard unfurled his bat wings and smiled with his fangs showing. William leaned back as he felt his own mouth open in fear.

“Easy Scary Shadow.” Luna admonished with a slightly harsh voice, “Don’t scary William too badly, he is still after all only one by necessity, not by choice.” She sighed and looked forward. “Now, we should remain silent, before we scare Zecora any further.”

Zecora only laughed a little, but said nothing at the looks she got from all present. It was in this silence that the rest of the trip was conducted till they found themselves at a boggy part of the Everfree Forest. This was not Froggy Bottom Bog, but it was close and was more than likely in a much larger scheme of things still connected in a vague manner which did not concern those in the clearing at the moment.

Luna walked forward with William now at his side as they approached the shimmering patch of air. Luna leaned forward and with a bright blue flash of light the magic was dispelled and William found himself backing up in  a hurry while Luna rose onto her back legs in fright. There buried on its side in the muck, and looking like it has risen recently was one of the capsules from WIlliam’s mind. Only on the door was not the sickly red clawed crescent moon. But rather a very peculiar shape of a blue full moon with a tree in the middle of the moon. Their was writing on the door but it was not something William could read right away.

On the door was a thick window that was frosted over from the inside and as they watched a vent released a little steam. William looked over at Luna as she settled down and was looked back at William. Both of them turned around and as one issued a command. “Stay Back.” They both looked back at each other and smiled nervously at each other. 

“William, Cover me, I want you to get in an angle where you can attack if needed, but you won’t hit me.” She waited for William to nod his head before she and him moved to stand in front of the window.

“Looks smaller than what was shown to me.” William whispered to Luna as his eyes began to look for a place to stand to fulfill Luna’s orders.

“Yes, looks more like one of the prototype single Pony capsules.” Luna responded as her horn glowed and William had a feeling she was probing the capsule for a means to open it. He took a deep breath and suddenly he heard the hissing of escaping air and the door popped open a little as blue lights spilled out around the edges and then it turned red as other sounds began to emit from inside, but were too faint to fully comprehend.

Luna looked back at William and at the white smoke, she slowly opened the door all the way and there was a cloud of white smoke that stayed still for a moment before it began to spill out into the air and falling to the ground. As the two Nightmare veterans watched a unmoving shape soon was seen. TO William’s shock and awe, he realized it was a Lunar Unicorn filly. A child he blinked as he saw around her were boxes of items as well, along with a small plush rabbit in her lap looking a little damp from, from what.

Luna looked at William and then at the Lunar Pony. “I,” She paused before looked back at the Dead Lunatics behind her. “Form up, we, we have a refugee.” William slowly stepped forward before nodding his head upon seeing the Lunar Pony better. “I agree, no Nightmare Taint.” He paused, how did he know that he asked himself as Luna slowly began to pull the items that were inside the capsule and sending them somewhere in some kind of teleport spell. All the while keeping an eye on the still sleeping Lunar Pony.

> Operation: Philadelphia Project
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

	William silently sat in the private rail car of Princess Celestia while Luna was in the car ahead of them talking to Moondust who had woken up. She had wished to learn from Moondust and give a friendly familiar face to talk to. So WIlliam was at the moment finishing telling Celestia what the Nightmares had shown him after gaining permission from Luna to tell her sister. William leaned back in the chair in the rail car and closed his eyes rubbing his eyes with his forefinger and thumb. “Sorry, it is just that, It still gives me a headache to even think of, it makes me sick and mad.” William muttered as he put his glasses back on and looked at Celestia while putting his hands in his lap. 

Celestia only nodded her head. “Then, maybe we can move to something more private. I have not had the time to speak to you about something that is a little more closer to my mind. You mentioned your world created weapons and power plants using the Atom. Have you used the weapons on humans before?” Her voice showing, an emotion William was unsure of really.

William felt the car sway along the track as they traveled to Canterlot and William knew that this was one question he could not run from at the moment. “Well,” he looked down at his feet. “Yes, We used the weapon twice on two cities.” He leaned back and closed his eyes. “Tell me, did you have to face an enemy that would not stop. Who no matter how much you pushed them back would not fall back, would not surrender. My Grandfather on my mom’s side was a Civilian who worked on evacuating the civilians in war torn areas. He was captured and was forced to march with the soldiers on what was a Death March. Any soldier that fell to the wayside was runthrough on the spot.” William got up and moved to look out the window.

“This was my grandfather, a Civilian working on getting innocent people out of the way and they treated him like that. He survived to the camp. Then he was placed on a transport before the islands were taken back by my people. The convoy was hit by us, but his ship survived and he was a POW on the mainland.” William turned back and leaned against the window. “See the top of this window? That is about six five? I am five foot seven, imagine a man that height down to a ninety eight pounds by the end of the war. He was only one of one hundred thousand POWs. Now if we had invaded the mainland of the enemy, all of them would have been executed and the guards sent to the front to push back.”

“Now, my grandfather on my dad’s side was in the Army in the same theatre. Before the bomb was dropped. He was preparing to tell him men that they were going to be part of the land invasion of the mainland of the enemy. An enemy that after the war we learned had fortified the exact landing areas with more troops and planes then we had thought. They would have hit our forces and cause massive death. IF the invasion did go through they would have executed my mom’s dad. My dad’s dad was going to be part of the first wave. Both of my parents were born after the war ended.” William looked up at Celestia and walked forward. 

“Tell me, I am too close to the war to not be removed objectively. I meet only one of these men in my lives. My mom lost her dad while she was in high school. He died of the complications from being a POW for so long. My grandfather died of working with the atom after the war, mind you he was in his eighties when he died, but if those bombs were not dropped. Our Military would have wiped out more then what was killed in those two bombs.” He paused and tried to calm down.

William took another shaky breath before continuing, “We would have caused a culturcide of an entire group of people to end a war. All because we stopped oil and scrap iron trade due to them invading a landmass and then treating the inhabitants of that landmass like second class citizens, worse in some cases. They rapped a city, the capital city of that nation. A war that they believed they would win because they were a more honorable warrior spirit then who they thought were barbarians without honor.” William’s voice held conviction and pain and hurt. “I have had this argument many times. I had one man who literally told me that he thought that if he and I were never born in the name of the atom never being touched he would have been happy never to have existed and I should be to.” William held his wrist. “he broke my arm before others pulled him off when I told him no and turned my back on him.” He looked down. “Sorry, but I really shouldn’t be the one to be asked this, I have my bias and as I said, I cannot remove myself from the past objectively.”

Celestia blinked before speaking wanting to change the subject. “Your world will fight each other over the use of the atom? What about the power plants?” She looked shaken but at the same time there was somthing William could not place. “Surely those do not bring contention.”

William harshly laughed at this and began to pace up and down. “Oh, it brings as much contention if not more. We should never have touched the atom as that man told me. We should never even think about it as we will only pollute mother earth more and kill all life on earth. He thinks that oil and Coal as well should be untouched to keep nature pristine and untouched by man untamed and more power over man.” William turned. “He thinks that little pinwheels on roofs could make all the power man could need. He thought the big fans we do have were too big and too ugly.” William paused a little, “I need to tell you that I am using the most extreme of folks I have meet, all but that one man is more in the middle, that we can use all the above but not atoms, or use atoms but be harsher with environmental laws. But all the time those that hate the atom as a power source will point towards one power plant disaster, Chernobyl.” William paused as he felt the train begin to slow down.

“Thank you William, as you have once again shown, Humanity is as much of a diverse group as this world. Amazing that your own race can be as across the board as going from a Changeling to either I or my sister.” William actually flinched at the words as if fearful of her next words, which she smiled that same annoying smile she used when she successfully pranked somepony. “I think I will enjoy it when we open relations. I have so much to teach them, and them to us I think.” Celestia only smiled as she moved and placed a wing softly on William’s shoulder. “Thank you for opening a painful part of humanity to me.”

William moved to gather his stuff, unable to really answer at the moment, he move towards his stuff that he had placed in a corner of the rail car. He was still dressed in the combat uniform that Luna had him wear during the last day’s battle. As he moved Celestia seemed to be thinking on something before holding a wing. “How, many nations have the atom?”

William paused at the question. “That is a good question your highness, how many of us have it.” He moved and sat down in a chair. “Let’s see, I will count the weapon form as the power plant is all over the place.” He closed his eyes. “Mind you this is from off the top of my head so I might miss a few or give them to a nation that doesn’t have them.” He took a deep breath. “There is the USA, Russia or formerly the Soviet Union, England, Israel, India, Pakistan, and North Korea is the newest, however going back to England, as it once was an empire the stretched all over the world I might include Australia as well as it is a commonwealth but considered its own nation as well.” William laughed there. “Earth can be complicated. However, with North Korea the rest of the world is not happy with it and have tried to use the UN to keep them from progressing further and so far it is semi working.” William took another breath as if to gather more thoughts. “They are so far the only nation that is even thought of as crazy enough to launch a weapon like that is North Korea.”  William sighed and shook his head. “I cannot answer you any more questions really without giving you my own opinion and biases. IF you want more information you might want to ask the United States Government or the United Nations.”

“United Nations?” Celestia asked with worry. “Is that some one world government?” The look of confusion only made William chuckle as the train began to brake for more than likely the station of Canterlot, or maybe a personal station for the royal sisters. He wasn’t sure as he left by other means. 

“No, it is more of a place for all the nations of the world to gather and meet to air their grievances or ideas of how to make the world safer or better. It was created after World War Two to create a means by which we would avoid another world war. Two is enough I personally think.” William spoke matter of factly with his tone of voice. “At times it is seen as a good thing, at the worst a joke, and depending on issues the same human being might think about the group across the spectrum all at the same time.”

Celestia smirked. “Sounds like a place I would enjoy visiting and speaking at.” She spread her wings at William’s confused look. “Why I am an alien to your world that combines mythical creatures together, I think what I will say will be listened to for no other purpose then it is coming from me.”

William mouth twitched into a small half smile before looking one last time at the gear around him before walking to the door as he looked at Celestia with a confused look when she stepped back to give William the path to be the first to exit the rail car. William did not have much time to react as he felt one of Celestia’s wings pushed him to the door as it opened in her magic. William stumbled a little out the door and into what he saw was a massive cavern. His attention was snapped to the small band of Ponies as they began to play an arrangement that riveted William’s ears, eyes, and mind upon every single instrument. William stepped forward before moving to a stance of attention as he tried to fight tears in his eyes. His mind finishing the last words of the song. “home of the brave.” his voice a horse sad whisper.

William stood rigid as the music ended after the final note was held for a little bit. William noticed a shimmering and a disguise spell was lifted towards his left. He realized that this train station which had the elegance of royalty carved into the rock walls of the cavern that the area he had not seen before were flagpoles of national flags that were in connection to Equestria. This was a way to showcase who were considered friends and allies of the Equestrian Crown. There off to the side and in an area that was looking like it was freshly carved and created for more nations was a tall flagpole that seemed lonely without other flags. Hanging limply from this pole was his stars and stripes of his home nation. William unable now to keep the tears from rolling down his eyes snapped even taller and straighter as he rendered a crisp salute to his nation. After a few moments of personal reflection and keeping the pose he slowly dropped it and began to move forward. Once again he was shocked at how zoned in on the music and the flag were as suddenly the cavern was echoing with the sound of voices, hooves clip clopping on the stone floor.

He began to look around the place and realized that the main station was in the cavern wall in front of him, while behind him were the single track for the train that ran into the cavern through a smaller hole in both ends of the cavern wall. He saw a water tower for the locomotive to the side as well. He turned and looked more closely toward the flags and notice three flags that he could recognize on the spot as all of them were hanging limp on their respective poles. The Equestrian Flag, the Griffin Empire, and finally the Diamond Dog Republic. He had slowly stepped further into the cavern and left the train behind him.

“William!” A voice called out from behind him and he turned around to see Luna with the lunar pony at her side walking up to him from where her car was located further up the train. She waited till she was standing in front of him and smiled as she opened a wing and motioned to the lunar pony. “Meet Moondust, she is the daughter of my Disaster Minister.” She smirked at William’s confused look. “We lived on the moon, I felt it would be best if my little ponies were to have plans for leaving the moon if things got too bad.” Luna paused and bowed her head. “Her father launched her during the infection of Nightmares, she didn’t know what was happening, only that her father was going to test some procedures and pull her back once they were done. She was lucky she was in the capsule when the Nightmares attacked she was launched into space and placed into cryo sleep until a pony from the Lunar Empire could revive her.”

Luna looked saddened. “She is without, she is as alone as thou art and as I feel, I think it is time that my sister and I talk to the two of you about an idea with have in helping all to fit in and keep away from the Nightmares or the Black Sun’s view.”

William blinked and was about to ask when Luna smiled and turned around. “Follow me please, we shall be meeting in the School for Gifted Unicorn’s practice rooms, that should give enough safety and security to keep folks from wandering too much on what is going on.”

William cleared his throat at this. “So, how will we get to the school? I mean I doubt there is teleporting allowed into or out of the school, and I doubt you want to have a human seen walking into the school not out of.”

“That is a very good question,” Celestia's voice sounded in a whisper in his left ear which made William jump in shock and fear and actually stumbled as he tried to get Celestia into his eye sight. “As to answer your question, there is a royal passageway we shall be using that can be taken, it is what I usually take when I am at my school and had to make it to the train platform.”

“You should know that for the royal family and their friends,” Luna began with a tone that William could only guess she was smiling at the idea of having a guest through the tunnels was now prancing a little as she continued to speak. “Get to use special tunnels that get to let them move quickly about when we have to, we don’t like using them too much but when discretion is needed, it is good to use them.”

William blinked as they entered the building that was carved into the wall, whose architecture to William felt like it was as if part of a European fortress, or maybe helm's deep had been merged into the rock wall. He was reminded as well of the temple from Last Crusade as well. Still they passed below the archway of the station and William had a chance to see a few carvings that seemed to hold significance with the way Celestia brush a wing over them. Her doing the action covered up a lot of the carvings but William was sure he saw a carving of a circle of something, but then he was through the portal and inside a spacious waiting room that made Grand Central Station seem small and dressed up like a country station compared to the grandeur that was showed case. William felt that this was to impress the visiting dignitaries and if he was one, especially one who never saw Canterlot, this was a grand first impression there were gems everywhere, rich paintings of history. He paused upon seeing something new. “Do the Elements of Harmony know they are some of the faces that dignitaries see?” William asked Celestia.

The mural that they were seeing was a rather stylized section of mural work that seemed to bleed together into a history of the Equestrian nation. “Oh, they know, they were asked to model a little after their award ceremony to honor them on resealing Discord.” Celestia only smiled a little. “It is also an easy way to give a warning to any dignitaries that if any of their nations were to say, go after one of them. They would have every ruling Alicorn on their doorstep geared for war.”

William blinked and looked at Luna, “ALong with their military guard?” He asked while thinking of three Alicorns and their troops behind them all ready for war.

“No, just three alicorns fully decked out to fight for their people.” The way Celestia spoke caused William’s mind to call up an empty field with three Alicorns standing their decked out with full armor just send a very cold shiver down his spin.

“That just seems colder and more ominous than anything I have heard.” He paused as he realized something. “The Alicorns power... you never used your full might against Chrysalis.”

Celestia only nodded her head with sadness. “I underestimated her powers, as well as how much to use of mine. If it was just her and her army, I would have unleashed all I had. But as she attacked within the castle itself I had to make sure I did not overdo it and scare my little ponies, but also so I would not harm or kill them in the backlash of anything I did.”

William paused and slowly nodded his head. “So you went with less power, and your look of shock at being overpowered?”

“Not my best moment.” She admitted as they walked through a field of magic that made him tingle a little. “We are in the royal passageways, so I would like you not to talk too much about them. The citizens know that they may exist, but not where they are.” William nodded his head to the agreement. “I take it you have some questions?”

“Uh yes, what were the elements of harmony for?” William asked in confusion, “I mean we have seen them used in our world on Nightmare Moon, twice, one by a storybook animation and the other... well I guess maybe how it happened. Then we learned they were used on Discord, twice, well three times if what I saw with Discord roaming around the castle is not a trick on my own eye.” Celestia laughed a little at that. “And finally this is postulation on the fans but we think you and Luna used them on King Sombra.”

Celestia looked at William with a curious eye. “Your world has seen much and I take it that some are making guesses?” She leaned in closer, “What are some of the guesses that your people have postulated about the future of Equestria?”

William looked at Celestia, “Only if you tell me what your plans were for Queen Chrysalis.” William and Celestia held a small staring contest as they walked down the hallway, William was focused on Celestia so he was not seeing much of the carvings of the hallway.

Celestia only smiled after a few moments of time passing. “Very well, I will tell you first and then you can tell me. Is that acceptable to you?”

William only nodded his head and upon seeing that Celestia answered the question. “It was a red herring.” William blinked and his mouth opened a little. “Well somewhat, I hoped Queen Chrysalis would have sent her minions to intercept the Element Holders, and knowing her, she would not harm them otherwise she wouldn’t have be able to use the ponies emotions.” William began to open his mouth only to have Celestia to cover it with a wing. “You are like Twilight in that you find a new question and you cannot wait to have some pony answer it, I shall answer about what Changelings feed on at a later date.” She looked up ahead. “You did promise to answer my question before we reached the school.”

William smiled and chuckled a little before falling silent. “As I was going to continue,” Celestia well, continued with her story. “Anyway, if Twilight and her friends got the Elements, I would have had them blast her brother, which would have restored his energy and broken the mind control. Instead something much more wonderful came about that I did not plan for. My Niece,” Here she paused and leaned in like a conspiracy whisper, “She is a niece by adoption.” she pulled back and smiled as William blinked at the rather shocking information to his mind was given. “Instead my niece and her to be wedded husband overwhelmed the Changelings, her love powered his magic which then turned that power and energy into his bubble that then pushed all the changelings out past the badland mountains.” She smiled as they passed through another magic force field.

“Now,” Celestia spoke like one that was eager to hear something good, “What are some of your thoughts, or the fans thoughts on the future of the show?”

William blinked and gulped, “Uh well, there were rumors of the season finale, or rather the last show before a long pause to let animators and voice actors work for the next group of episodes, a group of episodes are called seasons.”

“Interesting, and what season did you leave at?” Celestia asked and smirked a little at the befuddled look William gave her.

“Three your highness, and for the finale, there were rumors that somehow Twilight would become an Alicorn as well.” he took a breath and closed his eyes missing the action that Celestia did, but he did hear a suppressed laugh from Luna before Celestia made a motion to continue as he opened his eyes. “As for me? I don’t make predictions, I have learned long ago that what I think will happen never comes to pass, or if it does it does so in a very different manner than what I thought.”

“Most interesting,” Celestia continued. “Does it work?”

“well, based on the leaked images that showed up on the Equestria Daily, one of about two major news sites that report on the Bronies around the world, it looks like it worked as they have a vector all drawn out.”

Celestia only smiled as if what she was hearing was funny. “Humanity seems to be more interesting then I have given credit. I really do hope we can reopen dialog with them.”

William blinked. “Reopen?” his voice showing confusion at the word.

“Well yes,” Celestia stated. “After all the pathway was opened and you came through, so the pathways should exist as after images that we can use to reopen the pathway. As you might say, the path once made is easier to find a second time.”

William only nodded his head, “That makes sense, like how a nerve in the brain the more you use it, the more set it becomes.” He smiled. “So in a way magic can be a way of the nerves, once done it is easier to do the more you work at it.”

“That is a good continuation of an idea, if you were a Unicorn I think I would have enjoyed seeing you in a conceptual magic course.” She was smiling at the conversation before looking up. “Ah, we need to take a left and we shall be at the school. I hope you like what we have thought up for helping you hide from the Black Suns.”

William looked at Celestia, “How can I like something that I have not seen, nor even heard about. This is all rather hush hush at the moment so I cannot really form my own opinion.” He paused before adding another phrase. “Your majesty.” He had learned in the car ride that she did not like the rather familiar tone he had started to take with the Ruling Sisters, she didn’t care what her sister had him do, but William was to use one of her titles while they talked either in private or public. Words she said still ringing in his ears. “Only Twilight and if her friends can get over their own fears they too may call me Celestia, anyone else, especially foreign dignitaries should always address me with one of my titles.”

as these word reran through his head they walked through a set of double ornately carved doors carved of some kind of hardwood and were suddenly in a small alcove with worn stones and for some reason William had the feeling in the air of once more being in a hall of learning. It might be the giggling and laughter echoing through the hallways that also tipped him off that this was a school. He smiled before they turned a corner and the smile dropped as he saw a hallway that looked more like a hallway from a frontier prison. “Uh?” he managed to get out.

Luna was the pony to start talking here. “This is for their own protection, each room is lined by magic dissipating runes and statis markers. Meaning that even if a spell goes out of control it will not rebound upon the student, nor can it destroy the school either. These rooms were built for safety.” She turned her head as she smiled as they continued down the hallway.

“However, as I thought, the future Element of Magic by hatching a magical resistant egg we knew that the normal classrooms of magic practice would not be enough, so we built a larger room, what we call the royal chambers for the Element of Magic to practice without turning any more ponies into plants.” There were a few chuckles and William wondered if Twilight ever did live that down in the academic circles, or did she see that as a bit of pride in what she did, he paused in his thinking as he realized that might be where her modesty came from. At least it was worth a thought.

They soon were approaching the end where a very heavy door stood set in the stone and William got this feeling in his gut that this would be where the scientists and government agencies would keep dangerous or an unknown creature all locked up and secured. As they walked closer William thought he was hearing singing or, talking? he was not totally sure but he felt, he saw the others looking confused before walking to the door a little faster. William followed and he blinked and raised both eyebrows as Luna yanked the door open and inside the room was a padded room that a miniature Discord was bouncing around in and following behind was a certain pony that William thought didn’t exist outside of the fandom.

Celestia and Luna looked in from the doorway. Celestia actually chuckled. “I see you found a Pony that absorbed a bit of your magic.”

“Oh Yes, and tomorrow I plan to finalize those tedious paperwork.” he yawned rather big, in fact his mouth grew larger than his head for a moment before returning to normal. “Still, this is amazing, I have my first friend in Fluttershy, and now, now I have a daughter that, oh my you have been right, My chaos can still work in your world but not in ways that harm ponies. Like they were harmed in the first place.” He turned around and William had a feeling he was making fun of the two sisters. Yet they were unmoved and did not react to his barb at least William considered it a barb.

“Oh Daddy, is that a human?” The rather dull pink purple pony with a baseball and screw on her flank asked as she, Will only closed his left eye partway as some of his muscles contracted as his might tried to comprehend the thought that an earth pony was floating in midair and was moving at the moment like she was swimming in water.

William just looked at Luna and Celestia before turning back and finding the pony with the dark purple mane with white highlights staring right into his eyes. Her eyes had swirls where the color should be of the same color of her hair and white streaks as well. “Oh, I can see a natural source of chaos, not as big as my daddy’s power, but still humanity can be chaotic in their choices.” She looked at Celestia, “See not all chaotic energy is bad, just, Daddy didn’t know what can happen or didn’t care, but now he does.” She looked back and Discord only nodded his head smiling with a goofy grin as if, William’s eyes widened as something clicked. This was really a father looking at a child with pride as they worked to be like, William faced palmed. “Oh my, this is bothersome.”

Celestia only smiled as Discord began to chuckle. “Ah the human sees my grand plans and he has only seen my little Screwball for less than five minutes. Oh the Nightmares did wonderfully well in all but one thing.” These words caused William to look up and stare at Discord. Discord uncurled himself and still remaining about Pony size also swam through the air towards William and leaned in to speak into William’s ear. “That one thing was to make you angry and afraid, they gave you a target to focus on... good thing too or who knows the trouble you would have gotten into here without such a resolve.” He pulled back and chuckled at all present. “Oh!!!!” he gasped upon seeing the pony that was hiding very close to Luna. “A child of Luna, I thought I would never live to see the day.” There was a flash of light and he was all old with a cane and small round glasses without rims. “Why, I remember when she was just a filly who got her cutie mark taking control of my moon. Oh that was a month I would never forget.” he laughed a little. “I think she should be the first for your plans... soothe the fears of the human, after all,” Here his voice actually took on a rare serious tone, “You do not know what magic will fully do to a human, I don’t even know and I look forward to seeing this experiment.” He cackled again, “After all, chaos is chaos and humanity without much pushing has shown such wonderful mayhem.”

“How?” William asked but did not get to finish as another flash of light blinded him and he saw himself staring at Discord in that blasted full dress uniform of a four star general once more. 

“Oh my fine soldier out of time and space, I know many great things that would just turn your head.” he paused before deadpanning the next sentence. “Literally, it would turn your head completely around.” He paused and looked at Screwball. “Now child, can you go run along and find Auntie Pinkie and play with her? I think some of the power houses of Equestria have some work to do.”

“Okay Daddy, I can’t wait till you show me how to make Candy Clouds.” She giggled and swam off through the door that slammed shut with the sound of laughter replacing metal slamming against metal and stone. The event made William unable to fully concentrate as his brain told him that it was not right and there should have been metal slamming metal.

William blinked as he looked at the others in the room. “No offense to the being of chaos in the room, but that was, way too random and insane for my tastes, now Nathan on the other hoof,” He paused and shook his head, “Hand, on the other hand Nathan would be laughing his head off and loving every single moment of this conversation.” A small look of horror spread over his face. “Discord can’t... give chaos magic to others.... can he?”

“While that would be fun and very chaotic, I cannot, but I can awaken the chaotic magic in those that have it, and your friend sounds like he might have some already... oh I would love to visit your world.” A flash of light and a tall scandinavian man was standing where Discord was and was smiling with pure malicious and a insane look in his eye.

William just stared at the armor clad man. “Loki... You are telling me that you, YOU Are the basis of Loki? The Norse God of Mischief and Chaos?”

“OH no,” Discord chuckled as another flash of light and he was his own form again. “Loki is a half brother twice removed in the realm of chaos lords. Though last I heard he stopped going to your world as you humans have enough chaos energy happening in the wild that he felt he could move on. Frankly, in the realms and circles of Chaos your world is a perfect little ball of chaos and order mixing together into a great big storm of energy.”

“Anyway,” Celestia interrupted, her voice causing the conversation to stop at the moment. “I think we should move back to the subject at hoof.” She seemed to be smiling at William’s slip of the tongue. “We have lots to do and a rather short time frame to do so.”

The others only nod their heads as Luna and Celestia moved to the center of the room. “Now,” Celestia spoke as she took the center of the room. “I believe it should be shown as to what we have planned for you two before we implement the plans.”

Luna began while shooting a look at her sister. “We have decided that the best disguise would be a simple shape misdirect for other races eyes. You will remain in your current shape, but any others who will see you will see what we have placed as your disguise.” She looked at William. “That means that you will be a Unicorn as that would be the easiest to explain as to why you can pick things up and manipulate them with your hands. Those that do not know better and even those that do, will just see a magic aura doing the work you are doing.”

Celestia nodded to Luna as a signal for her to continue. With eyes closed and concentration furrowed brows magic slowly charged up her horn before a flash of blue light spread out from her. As the light faded or William’s sight returned, he was unsure of which was happening he saw two shapes, he shook his head, no four shapes just grouped into two shapes.

The shape on his left was Moondust in the back with a blue earth pony with gold mane and tail. On the flank was a cutie mark of a seedling coming from a small cartoonish mound of dirt. “Moondust, thy name shall be under guise of Fertile Seeds.” She smiled at the phrase. “A good earth pony name.” William smiled at the name and image before looking back at the other image. He recognized himself in the back but the image in front of him was not something he thought would be true. It was a Unicorn, grey in color and fur pattern. The mane and tail was black as night and his cutie mark was a white star with a white trail behind it. “Your name shall be Shooting Star and you are, well we have not fully yet agreed on your position just yet.” She smiled a little and William saw his image pick up an apple and their was an apple enveloped in a red magic aura, the same color as his eyes.

William only smiled and watched wide eyed. “Woah.” he breathed out in awe. “So, my hands will become magic to the outside world, most simple and easy to hide. Very good on that.” He smiled and watched at the four images vanished into stardust as Luna finished the projection. 

“Moondust, Step forward and be ready to be given your guise.” Luna smiled a little as she held up a small clasp with a crescent moon on it. “This shall be the source of your guise. You shall be wearing it in your mane either side is fine whenever you are outside of the Lunar Tower.” She smiled softly as Moondust slowly and with reservation easy to read on her muzzle as she took a single step at a time into the middle as the three powerhouses as Discord called themselves formed a three pronged outer circle.

Luna was the first to start as her magic began to grow with her blue colored magic as it started to hum already over her horn. Celestia was next with a pure white color while Discord held out both of his hands or paws and swirling balls of changing magic grew in both paws, or hands. William was not sure what to really call them in his mind. Suddenly Luna’s magic seemed to hit a pinnacle and shot out to Celestia’s horn and one of Discord’s paws and as William watched laces of magic began to weave along the solid white line between horn and paw, as well as horn to horn. Suddenly from Celestia a surge of magic from her horn went to Luna and Discord and then Discord’s magic shot out to the two Alicorns in a thick line of changing colors that were more than just the rainbow. William jumped once more as the magic soared into the sky to create a three sided pyramid shaped structure that now completely hide Moondust. As he watched all the sides of the pyramid filled in with white, blue, and changing colors to where it hurt William’s eyes causing him to turn around as no sooner than he did so he felt a blast of heat and wind emanate from the magic structure that blew over him. He moved back to look at the middle as he moved a hand to rub on the stubble of seven days of growth. He blinked and shook his head how it was now November Seventh. Eight days in Equestria William thought to himself, eight days was enough time to show that he was having a patchy beard. His mustache was pencil thin and slowly coming in better than the chin goatee he might end up with, with patchy sideburns. He wasn’t minding the stash, but the horrible beard was making him look rather unprofessional and the trouble was, there were no shaving kits, as every sentient creature had fur, their was really no need for shaving or razors it seems, at least nothing fit for a human.

He was brought out of his musing with a bab to the back of the head by Luna. Her voice showing she had asked the same question before but was going to repeat it again. “What do you see?” Her other wing pointed out towards the center of the room.

William focused his eyesight and grinned. “Exactly what you said would happen. I see an Earth pony.”

The new Earth pony smiled and looked down at a hoof. “I see my normal coat but a ghost image over it of my disguise.” She was happy in her voice. “Oh this is going to be so much fun,” her face fell a little. “Are you sure you want me as a keeper of your moon gardens?”

Luna smiled at Moondust. “Of course I do Fertile Seeds, did you think I would have asked if I didn’t hope for an yes? Besides, this way we have an excuse to speak more and get you acclimated to Equestrian culture.” She paused and looked back at William. “That might be a good idea for you to join as well. So you both would not suffer making mistakes in public.”

Celestia only smirked. “I think William would have a better means, he is a Unicorn with a cutie mark of learning planned, any mistakes he makes would be chalked to being eccentric, and with Fertile Seed, from being removed from big city politics, both back stories work well for both to learn on the job of societies small quirks.”

Luna blinked but sighed a little. “I guess you are right dear sister.” She looked down now.

Celestia chuckled at something she found funny, “Doesn’t mean you can’t still have those meetings, it would just have to be under other circumstances, say, teaching Shooting Star some Lunar Magic? Or maybe letting him compile the first history of your first three to four years of your reign dear sister. Or Fertile Seed how to care for your unique plants, flowers and trees.”

Luna only smiled, “That I guess sounds better than my original idea, thank you dear sister.”

“What are sisters’ for?” Celestia replied with a slight smile on her muzzle.

“Oh gag me, can we get on with this so I can go teach my daughter how to craft chaotic rain clouds? I am thinking of making it snow strawberry sherbet.” a disgruntled being of chaos muttered crossing his arms while making a gagging motion with his tail. This action actually made William laugh a little at the antics before shaking his head missing the smile that was now on Discord’s face as another positive reinforcement was shown of how simple chaos could work better than turning an entire town upside down.

Luna and Celestia only rolled their eyes at each other before walking back to their original spots as they motioned William to step forward and into the center as Fertile Seed or Moondust stepped out as hoof brushed the moon clip in her mane, a smile of joy on her muzzle. William however did stop her to ask a question, “Did it hurt?”

Fertile Seed shook her head. “Not really, it did tingle, like your entire body went to sleep on you, but your mind is still awake.” She continued walking to where William had stood before as William took to standing in the middle.

“Please, take a seat.” Celestia spoke, “The closer you are to being about the size of the disguise the better the spell would work, and I would rather if anything did happen, you would have less height to fall from.”

William only smiled a little. “I will keep that in mind, Thank you your majesties,” He turned around, “Discord.” he turned back to face forward. Which happened to be looking right at Luna, the same direction that Moondust had faced as well. He nodded his head once more before sitting down by pulling his knees up and wrapped his arms around the knees grinning a little at the events to come. “Hello freedom.” he whispered moments before the lights connected together and blasted into the skeleton three sided pyramid. However before he had to close his eyes to keep from being blinded he thought it looked like a four sided pyramid. Darkness greeted him right before they were invaded by light, even with his eyes closed it felt like he was staring into a flashlight. Even as the magic flowed through him he was unsure of the feelings his brain was receiving he felt like his body was off. It was here that his body felt like it became nothing but pin and needles, it hurt and tickled at the same time and he was unable to even make a vocal sound it was so confusing.

Suddenly just as quickly as it all started it faded and he found himself regaining his senses and he felt like he was on his hands and feet, well, no, yes he was on his hands and feet but his back felt level. He slowly opened his eyes and saw Luna looking at him with an unreadable expression, well maybe a little as her mouth was opened a little in a confused looking o shaped mouth and her body, He blinked and looked down to see a pair of dark olive green hooves. He told his mind to lift his left hand, the left hoof lifted up.

The very next thing he knew he was opening his eyes while laying on his side and the room had changed. “What?” he spoke in confusion, he felt energized and ready to get to work, the fatigue he had been ignoring earlier was completely gone and he smiled as he tried to sit up. Only to find that his body was not wanting to work correctly. He made a face before trying again getting halfway before a blue glow surrounded him and covered his vision tinting the world.

“Easy, Easy.” Luna’s voice softly sounded in the air. “Take it easy, there was,” Their was the sound of a loud explosion and William turned his head only to see two shapes dart by the window that was above the couch he was on.

“Celestia is not happy,” Luna started again, “At the moment she and Discord are arguing over who’s magic changed at the last minute.” She paused and William caught her frowning as he turned his head to face her again. “However from what I gathered, we all experienced a spike or surge of magic. What concerns me is that room is built to prevent outside magic to effect anything that is performed there. Meaning something of immense power must have interfered, but why? For what ends?” 

William could feel his face show one of worry, it was freaky feeling new ears change as well to show emotions. Luna he saw reacted to his emotions, “Oh no, your form is safe and in fact the Nightmares would never find you now, the last form had a very small chance of you being found out.” She looked to the door as their was knocking on it. “Come In.” She commanded.

One of her winged Lunar Guard walked into the room saluted and left a scroll on a small table by the door. While Luna went to read the scroll and left William free from her magic, he decided to look around this new location of the castle.

William blinked as he saw that the room was first of all larger than his own personal room. Second it looked like it was some kind of receiving room. Around the wall opposite from him were floor to ceiling bookcases full of books. In the middle of the room was a large crescent moon shaped table with pillow cushions around it. More than likely for some kind of meetings. He looked around and saw on the other walls were a mixture of paintings and weapons. William smirked a little. “Well, I sure would hate to be a burglar if this was a home in the US.” He was finding that his mind was at the moment on the cusp of remembering many histories of the weapons and books, and the paintings. he noticed in a corner what appeared to be a place that Luna was working on a new painting. At the moment it was covered with a sheet and hidden from prying eyes.

He blinked when a scroll dropped in front of his eyes as Luna spoke very softly, “Please read, this is your test results.” Her voice lowered as if ashamed over something, “Sorry for reading a report for your eyes.”

“Meh, you’re my commanding officer you need to know the medical status of your troops can’t really be a fighter if I run the risk of being a liability for others.” He slowly read the report only to stop midway and read much slower from the top. He read three more times some key paragraphs before looked at Luna. “Are you, so,” He looked at Luna. “We might want to get my blood tested now.” He paused, “If the report was true and nothing, not even the dragon blood on hoof was compatible...” He shivered. “Would I end up being run solely on magic charms and healings that. Can you magically create new blood? from samples?”

Luna shook her head. “maybe in twenty more years, but at the moment, we do it by blood donations of Ponies, thankfully our blood is less complicated. There are two types of blood per race, We just call them positive and negative. A Unicorn Positive can share with a Unicorn Positive.” She paused. “Their are so far only three universal donors, Celestia, Cadence, and myself.” She only smiled softly. “I am,” She paused. “If this is so, then-”

William finished the thought. “The outside force, could it have known that I was going to face an uphill battle that would kill me because I was the only blood type of my kind?” He looked down at his front hooves. “I, I have a lot to think about, and I might need to start getting use to my body.” William paused before looking right at Luna s she rolled up the scroll. “When can I return to my original form?”

Luna paused and chuckled a little, William saw her look away nervously, “A week,” She held a wing and spoke before he could speak over her further. “Because we need to teach thee how to fly, walk, and act like a Pony. After the week you can return to your human form as much as you like...” She paused and looked sideways. “But remember anytime you are Human, you have to either be in the castle, or an Alicorn must be at your side at all times.” She bowed her head. “I would advise utilizing this freedom as much as possible. But no matter where thou goest, I shall make it a policy to visit so thou mayest return to human if thou wish.”

“And, snub your duties?” William asked before shaking his head. “Princess, you must put your kingdom over one man, over me. I am just one person, a nobody and if anything a hindrance to your nation and governance.”

Luna did not say anything but she still kept her head turned, she finally turned her head and changed the subject. “Let us start with walking, okay? We can talk about duties later.”

William only nodded his head, “As your wish Luna. I will drop the subject for the moment.” He grunted as he tried to stand up on the couch only to fall on his face and his wings flared open as if trying to catch himself. “Ow,” He muttered into the couch muffling his voice. He ignored the small laugh Princess Luna gave.

Luna stopped her small laughter and smirked at seeing William’s body shaking from suppressed laughter himself. “I think we have the perfect idea of how to motivate thee to walk. I shall place a mirror at the other end of the room. Your reward for walking there is to see what your new body looks like.”

William gulped and slowly pushed himself once more up on the couch only to wobble and fall off the couch. “Ow.” he muttered once more. He blinked and laughed. “Well, good news is that I can practice on firmer surfaces.”

Luna laughed their. “Oh, if a normal Pegasus could have heard you, they all learn to walk on clouds, now that, we shall have to teach thee that later, come now, you can use that brain of yours to walk.”

William paused and grinned. “Of course, now.. you are a bit bigger than I, but, but the walking should be about the same?” William smiled and felt rather pleased at the smile and approving nod of the head. He blinked and cleared his mind and stood up again and slowly began to walk. He found that similar to newborn equines from earth he quickly picked up the ability to walk and actually prance and gallop a little. He got so caught up in the act of moving that he forgot about the mirror.

“WILLIAM!” Luna shouted in a normal voice. “Do you not want to see thyself?” The question froze William in place before he actually nodded his head and grinning a little he trotted to the mirror and looked into the surface.

What stared back at him was an alien face and features, and yet as he moved and the image moved he knew it was him. “Stupid magic gobbledygook.” he muttered, “What is the deal with the outside world dealing me with messed up card hands for life?” His expression was downcast at the moment as he realized he was, well for the week not see his human face.

A sad equine face stared back from the mirror. The Dark Olive Green coat stood out in contrast to the royal receiving room of Luna, his short cropped mud brown mane and tail were also contrast to his body and his tail flicked. That was an odd sensation as well that his mind was unsure if it liked it or didn’t. Finally he noticed something else. “A Cutie Mark?” he paused and blinked and He smiled a little. “I look like a Pony version of a war jeep.” He turned his head and body to look closer at the mark. A white five point star with the two prongs pointing to the ground and the single prong pointing up. “I guess this makes sense.” Still he was not too thrilled over this development.

Luna spoke from off to his side. “I want thee to know if I had my way, thou wouldst still be human but invisible to the Nightmares, it is not fun having one’s form changed against thine will by outside forces.” William saw Luna’s face in a frown as well from remembering something in her past.

William blinked and looked back at the mirror. “I will, learn to like this I think, This is not thine fault my princess.” He paused and shook his head. “Also I appear to be picking up more pony speak in this form.” He could only laugh, it was a mixture of bitterness and a bit of finding humor in a crazy situation. “I wonder how many bronies would like to experience this?” He trailed off before moving to walk around some more before he decided to stop and look at Luna. “Thank you,” He smirked at the confused look on Luna’s muzzle. “Thank you for helping me come to terms with this at this moment in time.” He paused and started walking to look at some of the paintings on the wall, he muttered something that caught Luna’s attention but he said nothing more. “It seems the nightmares have shaped us both similarly.” It was an idle comment, and both knew that this was a small fix to the bigger issue of dealing with a new body.

Luna shook her head and before she could allow herself to follow further down that train of thought she quickly took it another way. “let me tell you a little about these paintings, first of all, I painted them during my first year back,” As she talked she slowly eyed William’s form as she began to make a mental map of the armor he would be wearing later on.
	

> Learning Curve
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

	Slowly William yawned and awoke as the sunlight slowly shone brighter and brighter through the large open windows around him. William blinked and found something soft covering him and he moved to settle in a little more in the wonderful indigo cave he was in. He closed his eyes for a moment before they snapped open with fear at what he realized just where he was. He moved his head and blinked when the natural hole of his cave was blocked by a smiling face of Luna.

“Oh, you’re awake.” She smiled and moved her wing up and began to remove the cave that the wing had created. “I must say that you were riveted to my tellings of the stories of the paintings.” She leaned in a little. “Was it the history? The artwork? My voice? Or a little of all the above?”

William was still waking up and yawned again, “All the above, but you have a wonderful voice that I wouldn’t mind hearing in a college lecture hall.” he paused as his mind caught up to his words and he blush and ruffled his feathers in embarrassment. The moment caused him to turn even more red at the memory of talking some about the fandom. “Sorry again about the wingboner question.” He muttered in a barely audible voice.

“Please, do not be, I have not had such a good laugh in a long time, but you Bronies have some odd thoughts, how could a Pegasus have good flight control if they have that happen to them? No, what you most likely saw was a Pegasus reaction to something that they really enjoy. Say, you and steam engines. Those ears as you found out were amazing. I never saw another pony lose focus and hone in on another sound as quickly as thee.” She smirked a little and stood up as she gathered her wings to her sides. “Still, there is nothing like you have said that occurs.” She began to move from the middle of the first floor of her apartment. “Come, let us eat breakfast. I must say that was a fun prank pulled, I lowered the moon and created that cave moments before you woke up.” She was just grinning at another yawn. “Ah yes, I must introduce you to the Lunar Tea, it should help thee wake up for the day.”

William only yawned in answer before seeing the calendar and yet again and saw November in the month heading, “Luna, I am seeing my world’s months in your world. Why is that?”

Luna paused and blinked and looked at the calendar and tilted her head before nodding her head. “Interesting, it might be that is I am to guess your month names are in an old language that you really do not know much about?” She waited till she got the nod of the head she knew was coming. “Well I think as this too has a bit of a root in much older Alicorn language and not Ancient Equestrian, your world and mind to make it easier just replaced the months with your own. Don’t worry about it.” She smiled and picked up a pen next to the calendar and marked off a few more days. “Ah, today is the Ninth already? Time seems to have,” She paused and looked at William with worry before back at the Calendar. “Still, this is going to be a very intense month, next month is the Hearth Warming Celebrations, and some official meetings.” She paused before smiling. “Come, breakfast awaits a most faithful soldier of my Army.” She reached over and to both ponies surprises she patted him on his head with a wing. She quickly pulled the wing back and looked to the doors. “We should also create a name for thee, the old name I doubt would fit thee now.”

William only nodded his head as he fell into step behind Luna, he had been thinking of many things before looking up at the ceiling, before finally blinking as a name formed in his mind. “How about Nightstar?”

William found Luna doing a small hop dance suddenly on the stairs before settling down. She was silent for three more full rotations around the tower before speaking again. “I think, that would be a good name. I shall begin to have the paper reflect the current cover name.” She paused a few more steps down. “What, brought that name to your mind?”

William looked at the back of Luna’s head. “Funny thing, I thought of it as I remembered a dream I had last night.” He ruffled the feathers on his wing a little at the memory. “A night sky empty of everything when above my head began to shine a single star. To my left a full moon began to rise that seemed so close that I felt I could have touched it.” He cleared his throat. “As I watched this one single star seemed to move slowly as if on a patrol of the sky as it followed the moon on its path.”

Luna remained silent before changing the conversation so that the rest of the trip to breakfast was mostly that of small talk and a few jokes swapped, of both sides of the divide of worlds. They were both laughing a little as they walked into the breakfast area only to pause as two Ponies stood with Princess Celestia.

“Tia?” Luna began only to have a wing move as if to cut Luna off from any more talking.

The pony on the far right spoke. She was dressed in a full dress uniform. “Lunar Guard hopeful,” Her voice harsh and commanding. “I have been charged by Princess Celestia to put you through a refresher course to make sure you are still fit for duty after the attack in the Everfree forest. You will eat breakfast with the rest of the troops before Cadet Dash and I take over your training. It is good to see you are on your feet again.”

William moved to stand tall and rigid like Luna taught him last night. He did not say anything nor did he look at the speaker. “Good, looks like I won’t have to start at the beginning with making sure your attention does not wonder.” She moved to the doors. “MOVE OUT!” with the rigid steps of a march WIlliam turned and moved out the door with the two Pegasus following.

Luna heard the doors click shut before looking back at Celestia. “What are you?” She began before she paused as Celestia raised a wing to politely interrupt her sister.

“Putting him through normal training. You want him to be a part of your guard, then I will have him get the training, I do not want a half trained soldier of either worlds to have the weight of protecting my sister on his shoulders or wings.” Celestia's voice showed concern for her younger sister. “Besides, I feel that you shouldn’t be so, close till you figure out just what you want to do now that he is, a Pegasus. Besides I feel you should spend time with your niece Cadence as she and Shining Armor is visiting for the week.”

Luna blinked but only nodded her head. “Very well Sister. I will speak with Cadence when she arrives, I guess we shall eat now?”

“Of course sister.” Celestia spoke with a lighter tone of voice as the two sat to dine.





It was after a quick breakfast that William found himself standing outside in a small courtyard. Around him he had seen the banners of the Wonderbolts.

“Welcome to the Officer’s Court, at the moment it is only Cadet Dash, you, and I. I want to see you do what you know, and we can work from there. Start with push ups with your wings, so drop and give me twenty. Dash, count.”

William dropped and found that he had to be first shown and taught how to have a proper push up stance for a Pegasus. From there it was a grueling hour as he had to be taught the proper form to take. Yet he found them to be somewhat understanding. Though their was ribbing from Dash.

“You spent too much time watching that human work out, you are a Pegasus, you have six limbs of fighting power, you can beat anything with a swift kick, a punch, or using your wings you can call fire from the sky as the weather heeds your call. I cannot believe you think you want to be an elite soldier for Princess Luna, she has the toughest soldiers in all of Equestria, you are at the moment unfit for even police work in the royal castle.”

William remained silent using these and other barbs from both Spitfire and Rainbow Dash to push harder. The hour turned to two before Spitfire blew the whistle to signal a rest. “Okay, for your break you can get a nice drink of water, but you have to work for it. See that cloud over head? I want you to fly up, get ahold of it, and bring it down to take the water and put it into that trough over there.” She pointed to an empty water trough. 

William nodded his head and took to the sky flapping his wings hard and gaining a little altitude, it was here that he found that the two Pegasus were now criticizing and working on improving his wing control. It was to his shock upon being informed twenty minutes to get from ground to the cloud and he was winded and exhausted. Still he was not going to give up and worked to now try and get the cloud to get lower to the ground.

William blinked as after a bit of time he was breathing hard and growling at the cloud that was still not moving. “NIghtstar.” The sharp voice of Spitfire called out to him. He looked up in confusion to see her standing on the cloud. “You just stop and watch Rainbow Dash and I work on this. It seems that whatever you had happen to you completely jumbled your weather skills. Just stay right there and just watch. I do not want you to end up yet again in the infirmary.” Nightstar saw that she was angry and frustrated, but something he never thought he would pick up was that there might be a bit of grudged respect towards something but he was not sure what it was.

As he just plopped down and rested, he realized how sore his body was already and he was amazed with the body, he realized as he thought back to the tasks he had been put through he would have as a human hit the wall already. Yet here, here he was in a new body being put through his paces and he was showing more promise than before. He grinned at the feeling he had before frowning as he felt a small part of him worried about becoming lost to this feeling and forget his past. He cleared his mind as he watched and at the same time felt somehow the actions and movements that the two Pegasus did to manipulate the cloud and he felt it slowly sink now to the ground. By the time they had reached the ground he felt that he might have a good grasp of cloud manipulation. Or maybe not, there's a big different he knew from seeing and doing a task,.

“Okay Nightstar,” Rainbow Dash began, “This should be easy, just hop up and down and shake the water out of the cloud.”

Nightstar slowly nodded and got to his hooves and slowly bounced a little on the cloud until he began to hear the pitter pat of rain drops falling into the trough. As he continued the rain continued to fall till there was the sound of a decent rainstorm. After a while he was told to stop and grunting a little he dove to the ground and landed a little harder then he wanted and wobbled from the exercise he had been doing all morning. He looked to the sky and wondered what time it was.

        “Eyes forward and get your drink, we still have a lot to do still.” Spitfire shouted from the distance. With those words Nightstar who was once WIlliam dunked his head into the trough to first wake himself up and then began to drink, while at the same time looking up and roving his ears around at the same time to listen for anypony or thing sneaking up from behind.





Luna looked across the small table that held a royal tea set, and two plates with dainty cakes. Also across from her sitting and sipping a tea cup in the grasp of magic was her niece. “Cadence,” She began blinking a little and feeling confused at the odd smile she was giving her. “How is the Crystal Empire doing?”

“Oh, it is doing well.” She was smiling a little. “Shining and I are getting into the swing of things, I had to finally convince him to let some professional trainers to take over some of the training for the Equestrian Games.” She smirked. “Also, so far no signs of what you wrote me to look out for.”

Luna relaxed a little and took a sip from her own tea cup. “That is good, I would rather get my dear siblings concerned over nothing then throw them into a panic.” She looked to the side. “Unlike my Sister, what she is doing makes me uneasy.”

Cadence only nodded her head. “Well she must be having some interesting thoughts, who would have thought that-”

“Yes, I know.” Luna snapped as she interrupted as she drained her cup in a single gulp and set it down. She blinked and frowned, “What? What’s so funny?” She frowned at the smile and small giggle her niece was giving her.

Cadence only smiled and hid another of her small giggles behind a wing. “Oh, nothing, just, who is the stallion who has gotten under your wings?”

“What?” Luna asked as she looked up from pouring another cup of tea. Thankfully she did not overfill. The biscuit she had in her magic though fell back onto the plate in the middle, next to a yet untouched platter of cucumber sandwiches.

“Well, you are just glowing from where I can see. The funny thing is that it seems a bit more than a crush but then at the same time it is less than a crush, maybe I can help with sorting out these emotions?”

Luna looked at Cadence, her niece by Alicorn standards and turned her head down to pick up a cucumber sandwich. “How, how much has our sister told thee about what the past set of days have been like?”

Cadence blinked but let the change of topic go as she placed a hoof to her muzzle. “Well, not much, but a Crystal Pony did present me with a tabloid stating you....” Her eyes went wide. “Are you falling in love with one of your pets?”

Luna’s face darkened and glowered. “No, He is not a pet. I doubt any of my pets could ever had the mind to conquer or hold off a Nightmare for three seconds.”

Cadence was only smiling as Luna slowly realized what just happened. “You and your deceitful lies to bring out the feelings of others.”

“I only learned from the best.” Cadence chirped back as she took a cucumber sandwich. “besides, I wouldn’t call what your sister does as deceitful, more coy and cunning.” She grinned and stuck a tongue out at Luna.

“Bah,” Luna muttered before looking back down at the platter. “What is so conflicting is that, due to some outside magic that is not of Celestia, Discord that imp, or my own magic. It came from as far as we three can tell totally outside of Equestria, almost the same that dropped that blue box...” She paused and she shook her head. “Still, my friend, a soldier who... we have shared our minds and now... now he is a pegasus.” She was troubled, rarely had she ever fallen for being a loss, no, not a loss, a complete storm of conflicting thoughts at the moment.

Cadence blinked and grinned. “Oh, this is joyous news.” She replied as she playfully mocked Luna’s inflections. “Tell us, hast thee and yon stallion sat and gazed upon thy stars?”

“No,” Luna blushed as she took another bite, waiting for Cadence to take a sip of her tea. “I had him stay in my lower chambers and showed him my wing blades.”

The spit take that Cadence made was well worth the spittle that fleck on her own muzzle, the coughing was joyous to her ears as well. Teach her well to mock the old way of speaking she thought to herself.

“But, only,” Cadence began.

“Only,” Luna began to finish for Cadence, “Those of the Dead Lunatics are allowed to gaze upon my creations from a thousand years ago.” Luna paused. “Though I showed him my paintings and... we spoke at such lengths that he fell sleeping upon the floor, I must admit dear niece that he looks very cute sleeping.” She looked up a little. “He also has slept the soundest in many nights.”

“Nightmares?” Cadence asked with concern.

“Truth, but always of his own mental making no real attacks, he misses his own family and for we to even think of tempting him to stay longer then he needs would be dishonoring his willingness to defend our kingdom.”

Cadence paused and looked at Luna sideways. “he is staying and defending this land? Not finding a way home? Surely he would be wishing to return home to warn his own kind of the threat.”

Luna nodded her head. “We spoke to him last night those very same questions, and he says that he would rather fight the foe of his nation on another soil so that others would not have to fight them in their backyard.”

“Really?” Cadence asked with a smile,. “I guess he is tired of seeing an enemy passing through his nation’s homeland so often?”

Luna shook her head in the negative. “We thought the same, no, he says he takes pride that his nation was only invaded once, and attacked thrice on their soil.”  She shook her head. “A champion of that, with flaws I see, but with the nightmares; convictions are a stronger sword then one’s own physical strength.”

Cadence only smiled wider. “You do like him, much more than a crush. Otherwise why would you even consider his feelings? I will guess you shall be aiding him in returning home once your personal war is over with the Nightmares?” She held a wing up to continue speaking. “I rather have you fight the Nightmares so none else do, I don’t want any mini Nightmare Moon's running around.”

“No matter how cute they might be.” Luna replied with a smirk and a laugh. “Inside joke between William and I.” A smirk from yet another small conversation they had from last night. The name Nyx might just be a cute name for a future recruit she thought as she took another sip of her tea.

Cadence only shook her head but grinned. “See you are even having inside jokes, so..” She leaned in a little. “How... serious are you with your feelings?”

Luna blushed and looked down at the table not eating now. “Uh,” she began with a small stammer, “I gave him one of my primary feathers as an ink quill.”

Cadence’s silence was what she needed to think and come to something, as she did so she began to mutter an old saying in a hushed whisper to herself. “Courage isn’t just a matter of not being frightened, you know. It’s being afraid and doing what you have to do anyway.”

“Then tell him.” Cadence’s voice shattered the silence, “Tell him how you feel, you have to tell him or you will be unable to move past this point.” She laughed a little. “Trust me, I know, You do not know what the future would hold for you if you remain silent and with how this war might shape out to be.” She took a small grin. “It sounds like he, and maybe you, need something a little stronger than love of nation.”





William yawned as he slowly and sore like never before finished climbing the steps to his room. He barely looked at the decor as at the moment as he just wanted to get to the room. Crawl onto the bed, and sleep till the morning. He fumbled a little as he opened the door with his new appendages, walked through it, closed the door and climbed onto the bed, and plopped down and closed his eyes ready to sleep from the long days work. He was out seconds after his head touched the pillow.

He blinked as he found himself staring in a detached wonder at a half ruined house. The white two story square home was surrounded by burned out corn fields as the sky was choked with a setting sun and dark clouds, or smoke. He was not sure yet. He blinked and turned sharply as he found himself human in this world. “Am? Am I dreaming?” he shivered a little, as the vivid dreams only meant one thing to his mind. Nightmares were attacking him. He shivered and turned trying to summon a weapon. Only to have clattering to the ground a set of wing blades. He looked up again and this time fear was in his eyes as he fully realized the building, how could he have forgotten. This was his step grandfather's farm.

From his left a dark chuckle began to drift on the breeze and from the hazy surroundings a dark silhouette of something, it looked like the dark images of a Pegasus. The eyes were glowing red while smoke seemed to seep off the extended wings and body of the creature.

William only glared back trying to return the stance of intimidation he was seeing. “What is this? Are you, did you slip through the wards of the castle? The Nightmares cannot attack me in the castle.” William’s voice hitched a little in fear that the only place he felt he could truly be safe and not be on constant guard was violated.

“Oh no,” The voice spoke coming from the dark pegasus. “But you have been tainted as our queen, as your fears grow in areas, so will we. Right at the moment, you have a big fear. One that frankly could very well be true.”

William shook his head. “No, that is a lie, she would never do that. She, she wouldn’t be that careless or act without asking my opinions. She already promised me after the war she will help me return home.”

“Really?” The Nightmare began to circle William as he felt nauseous and dizzy and the world spun until he couldn’t see straight and then, suddenly it was clear and they were on a dark stormy thunder cloud.

The problem William saw was that the two of them were now eye to eye and his body felt off. “Yet here you are, in a body not your own. In a world not your own, and do not deny that you have caught the look our queen has given you. Do not act so naive to not think or even contemplate if she might have feelings, and do continue to conflict over just what you are feeling.”

William glared and flared his own wings in anger and in an act of trying to take control. “WHy tell me this? Will this not weaken you?”

“Weaken? Why we shall plant the seed of doubt and fear, and worry over worrying if this will give us power over you, or just how can you beat a taint that is and always has been with you? Do not try to deny that you have felt us, that violent tendency that urge to wring one’s neck, or to end your life just so you would not be a burden on others.”

William shook his head. “Thoughts that were fleeting and no more than seconds in my life.” He turned away from the Nightmare to have it once more in his face.

“Oh? What about the anger you still feel over those that say Pearl Harbor was an inside job? The Twin Towers? The A-Bomb?” The Nightmare countered with glee.

“Those I have learned are items that I cannot control others viewpoints on, why should I waste my time or breathe with those set in their ways when I know I am just as set in my own? I just need to accept that I will not change my viewpoint. As much as I need to accept that others will have their own viewpoints, even those that I disagree with.” He glared at the Nightmare as he stopped his next words. “That is a work in progress, I am still working to be better in what I just said.”

“But,” The Nightmare leaned in whispering to William’s ear, “We can give you the power to make people, and ponies see you are right.” There was a small laugh,. “What about the power to choose your own form? You never wanted to be a pony, you wanted to remain a human being. All you need to do is just walk outside, slip away and let us take you. We can bring about a vision of your own world.”

William blinked and shook his head as memories were pushed onto him mind of the arguments, the man breaking his arm over that debate. The crying he did last night over the fears of being stuck a pony and never seeing his family. He slowly felt himself growing smaller and the darkness slowly beginning to envelope him in its grasp and he was not sure what to think. It was all so confusing and he was so tired from the day’s activities. So much work. Would it even work? He asked himself. Voicing that dark question he had not even wanted to give voice to since the first night and the first attack by the Nightmares.

Nightmare Moon still happened, A Lunar Colony was under their control. Did they have the chance the hope to win? or did they? He closed his eyes and shook his head. “NO!” His voice coming out louder than even William have expected, startling him a little.

“Excuse me?” The Nightmare asked with a growl. “What did you say to me?”

“I said no.” William growled out as he took an even more aggressive stance, one he saw Rainbow Dash do on the tv. “You have forgotten, or maybe too blind to notice this about Humanity, when we believe in something, we will go down fighting, we had people die in a sinking ship to give a spot to others, they died so others lived.” He was shaking as he was saying words at the moment, his heart was not fully in the moment, but he had to fight this. “Fighting, as you see is a human trait, you think it is the tool you will use to conquer us? I say it is the tool that will be your defeat. Humanity, most humans, do not like the idea of being ruled over. I, I cannot. I may fail in the end but I will go down fighting you with my bare hands, hoofs, teeth, head... I don’t care if I have to fight you in my mind for eternity, I shall fight you so my Niece and Nephew will never see or know the terrors you have in store for my homeworld. I will fight you so that my yet unborn Niece or Nephew will never fear the dark or night.” William’s voice had grown bolder and stronger as he kept talking.

“Maybe not now,” the shadow laughed and narrowed its own eyes, “but I shall be here, waiting, waiting for your darkest day, where you will be alone and all you will have to do is ask for my help. I will always be near, needling you, harping on every little detail you do wrong, every emotion you have that is not right by societies standards, falling for a Princess? Is that even allowed as a citizen that broke away from being ruled by a royal family? Let alone one that is another species then you?” The Monster, this Evil Mist began to laugh as it began to fade away leaving the world black, bleak, and very, very cold around William.

He curled up on the dream cloud and slowly in his sleep, and in the real world as well began to weep. He didn’t want to think about these problems, yet once his mind realized or thought of them. He kept on spiraling back to them, gnawing on it. Scratching at it like an itch, or a scab just to feel the pain of it coming from the skin.

He blinked as he slowly began to hear something, some kind of humming at his side and he turned his head to see Luna sitting there next to him. Her eyes moist as she looked at him. “I am sorry.” She spoke and turned away in shame.

William slowly put a hoof out only to have him touch a wall and the space between the two shimmered from his poking of the wall. He smiled a little, this was the real Luna. “What for?”

“For not preparing you for the taint.” She muttered. “I hoped that with how Humanity was, the taint would not be harmful. It was wishful thinking.” She sounded depressed to William’s ears.

“So you hoped and wished that I would not be subject to the same pains you gone through. You have placed yourself in a lofty place.” he looked out to the sky and blinked in wonder as the sky began to change from the oppressive blackness to a night sky. “You don’t want to be hurt or hurt others.” He added after a little while.

There was a loud sniff making William turn his head to see her nodding her head. “You are astute, and,” She trailed off before looking up at the sky with wonder. “Is this your world’s sky?”

William looked up and realized with a start that this was indeed his night sky from his world. “Yes, it is.” he felt a pang of homesickness, before he felt the light touch of Luna’s wing over his own back, his feathers touching her feathers felt, rather odd. Let along the sensation of having feathers attached to his body. “Luna, how? How much did you see?”

“All of it, I, I had to see how you would handle the taint before I could help thee. I think, if it gets too worse, or you feel like you will fall to it. Might I suggest being hit by the orbital rainbow cannon?”

William snarked and coughed from the laughter that racked his body. “Luna, you, you,” he shook his head and fell laughing as he also realized just why she said that. After a time laughing he sighed and looked up at the sky. “Thank you, you, you knew what to say to me to make me much more happy; as well as to cheer me up.” he paused before looking back at Luna. “It’s still there, the taint?”

Luna only looked to the sky and in a very serious tone while nodding her head answered, “Every day of my life. This is a wound I have carried all the time after my return, and I, I want nopony else to carry it as well.”

William only smiled as he moved closer to Luna. “Well, you do have someone who can know a little of what it is like.” He closed his eyes. “I just wish I knew how to better use my body to be cleared back to duty.”

Luna only smiled and looked at him. “Well, I might have an idea, but promise you won’t tell another pony? Not even my sister or your fellow Lunatics?” Before William could respond Luna added one more item. “Pinky Promise me that.”

William’s eyes widened at the request before he slowly took a deep breath and let it go. “Cross my heart, hope to fly, stick a cupcake in my eye.” he closed his left eye and placed a right hoof over the closed eye.

Luna smiled and leaned forward and covered his eyes with a wing hiding his vision before it was pulled away as the wing turned a lighter blue color. There standing in front of him was a light blue pegasus standing on a cloud with the sun shining in the sky.

William looked around and back to the female pegasus. “Hello?” He blinked as the pegasus began to smile and grin at the greeting.

“Hello, uh,” she looked down and giggled. She looked up and giggled even more at the shocked look on William’s muzzle. “What? I can change my form in the dream world. Nightstar come on now. Let us work on a few simple easy wing movements start from the basics and move from there.”

Nightstar only twitched a little with his mouth as he stepped forward to follow through the instructions. He found himself a little giddy at the thought that a pegasus Luna was teaching him the basics that he was missing. He also felt funny as well and he couldn’t fully, well he did but he didn’t want to admit to his feelings that he might be having.





Nightstar blinked and woke suddenly as a light slowly shone into his face and over his eyes. He opened his eyes and saw the two forms of Spitfire and Rainbow Dash. It had looked like they were or had been about to wake him up rather forcefully. “Good Morning ma’ams.” Nightstar chirped as he quickly moved to get out of bed and as quickly as he could make the bed he had been sleeping in. He felt refreshed and a lot better, it did help that he was or had the chance to practice in his mind. The funny thing about the mind he was learning was that if you dream about the movements of, say how to walk, things like walking are actually very simple. He began to slowly hum to himself, not knowing he had picked up the same small lullaby that Luna had been humming to him to comfort him from the taint. Once in the bathroom Nightstar began to practice another skill, preening his feathers.





Luna slowly walked up the spiral staircase that was in an antechamber of her first floor apartment. Luna had been pleased that her sister created it so that if needed the antechamber could be a fall back to and defended from. She looked up at the security posts and holes that were unfilled. She didn’t need her security in her personal chamber, let alone the main bedroom area. Still she knew that her guards could never fully protect her. After all, she thought to herself; how could they defend her from her own mind? She sighed wearily and continued her slow steady walk.

She soon entered her bedchamber, she did not look around her as she made straight towards her bed. The bed was interestingly enough made in the same shape as a princess four post bed from earth. The only difference was that the mattress was a thick cloud with a simple blanket draped over the top and a few large pillows. She climbed into the bed and laid her head down on the pillow and closed her eyes for hopefully a restful sleep.

Luna found herself dreaming, a rare occurrence as she usually got her mental recharge by helping other ponies with their dreams. She looked around and tucked her wings close to her. The scenery was of a small community with thatched roofs and Ponies all milling about and smiling. She quickly noticed one thing wrong. Blanks, all of them had blank flanks. She knew she had to move forward. While others had to face their fears in the waking world, as that was where many fears came from. She would have to see this dream through to find out what to do to make sure it never would affect her again.

She found that the dream was different then most of the times she had ended up in this place. It seemed that the ponies were happy, there was no undercurrent of fear, death, or something wrong. She smiled. This was maybe a small way of her brain letting her come to terms that Sunny Town was free from the Nightmares’ grasp.

She smiled and began to look around the village when she paused as she saw a building. The two story thatched roof home just seemed to have a bit darker look. She noticed that many of the other other residences didn’t even look towards the building. She turned to look at the home fully when a hoof reached out to stop her. 

Luna turned and looked at the pony that would stop her. The pony looked older and his eyes showed worry. “Don’t go in there. Something Terrible lives there.” he looked around. “Many who enter the home never come out, and I am just glad that many of the young ones do not even notice it anymore.”

Luna looked back. “I must enter,” Her voice low, “If I am to defeat the forces that live in that home, then I must confront it.”

“Very well, I wish you luck then.” with those word the old stallion lowered his hoof slowly before turning and walking towards another street. Luna took a breath before narrowing her eyes and approached the building.

She slowly entered the home and all she saw was darkness. She slowly stepped into the the first room and without batting an eye at the sound of the door slamming shut like an almighty steel door closing. Instead she stepped another step and the room erupted into light as torches lit around the walls. At the other end of the now enlarged room was a dark throne and upon it sat Nightmare Moon who only grinned. “Welcome home our Queen.”

Luna only snorted at the title. “This is not my home.”

“Ah,” Nightmare Moon chirped with a grin. “But it was, and it can be again, but what is a home without a family?” With that Nightmare flared both wings and a door opened from the side and the clip clopping of hooves sounded on the stone floor. Luna turned and then froze at what she saw walking out into the throne room. Luna found her muzzle hanging open a little in many emotions.

> Learning Military Secrets
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

	Luna just stared in wide eyed shock. She was, this was impossible. She promptly closed her muzzle with a glare. This was her taint; of course she would know the conflict she was having in her own mind. “That is a low blow.”

“Really?” The newcomer spoke with the silky voice of language that was many years outdated. “I do say that you cannot hide your feelings from your own self, and why fight? You can have what you want, for once we both want the same thing.”

Luna snapped her head to glare at her taint, taking the shape of Nightmare Moon, her failure, the symbol of the madness she had been tricked, but also deep down welcomed in a twisted manner. “I cannot believe you.” Her horn flared and turned to face the other form and the new attack from the Nightmares.

“You are not William, You cannot be, you would be some Nightmare that Nightmare Moon would  trust having a seat of power equal to her own.”

“Oh yes,” Came that infuriating silky voice, “I am Nightmare Moon's stallion. So for her to have found the perfect body and mind that would, who would have thought the body meant for me in conquest of the next world you would fall for.”

“It wouldn’t be the same, you cannot create immortality,” With those words her horn released a wave of magic that distorted things making all around her swirl and twist like some water ripple in a reflection pool, and to her shock and sadness the Alicorn body lost all skin and turned into a skeleton. SHe could tell the bones were mismatched to create the illusion of an Alicorn. “Just as I thought, another trick and mockery of what I hold dear.”

The Nightmare on the throne only blinked. “My, My, we see thou hast spent time with the human again, you speak like him now once more.” The Nightmare only began to laugh harshly with a mocking grin. “But come now, you know that we shall win, it is only a matter of time. The question is, by your actions and your crush’s actions, where will you both be situated?” Nightmare Moon flared her wings. “Shall it be both of you together?” She slowly lowered her wings. “Or would it be?” Around Luna the landscape changed the throne room changed and melted away to that of a battlefield. Around her she saw the shattered remains of, she blinked and looked around herself, this was not a city she was familiar with.

“I see I have confused you.” Came the words of her taint from behind her. “That is because this is not your precious Equestria, or your Moon.” She spread her wings wide. “This was the Wyoming flatlands... those burned out buildings and trees? That was once a rest stop for travelers called Little America, your boyfriend.” Luna bristled at the word and Nightmare Moon laughed. “Your boyfriend would stop here on trips across state lines with his family... this would also be a place where we can see them fighting us. She motioned a wing to the sky as massive dragons both living and skeletons flew through the smoke filled sky. The sun turning things a sickly color that created a bittersweet image of beauty and at the same time, the light and feeling of death and despair..

She saw two more of the metal contraptions from William’s mind battle fall from the sky and a third blowing up in midair. She looked down and saw the Nightmare possessed forms of her citizens and beasts of Equestria. “So, this is Earth... or your twisted interpretations of it.”

“Maybe, but see the fate of what will happen if you do not agree, we shall have William, he will be ours, and with us telling him things.” Luna found that no matter where she looked now she saw only the same thing; both William and her fighting it out, and William winning as he used what was suppose to be his secret form hiding from the Nightmares to fight her fully.

“You shall fall to him.” She winced as the killing blow was landed upon her form and she blinked before it changed, it was Nightmare Moon fighting William as he fought in both forms but was losing and Luna gasped at the final end. Nightmare Moon ending his life with a pierce of the horn to his heart.

With that Luna found herself in the throne room. “We shall leave thee to thine thoughts Oh Queen of Nightmares, let you stew over these scenes and consider your own happiness, for even if you are enslaved as you so fondly love telling me, at least you and William or Nightstar shall be together in the same bondage and chains for as long as you two amuse us both.” Nightmare Moon with those words got up and began to walk away. “Oh, don’t worry, we won’t get rid of you till we are bored of both of you, don’t want to separate you both in the afterlife, you may just get to taste paradise, or more likely Tartarus of what we have planned for these worlds.”

Before Luna could do anything the images and surroundings began to fade and like that she found herself feeling like she could 





Luna bolted to her hoofs and looked around her room before slamming the doors shut and locking them. She trotted quickly to her personal desk as she picked out of the piles a black bound book with a gold etching of her cutie mark in the book cover. She then with her magic took a quill pen quickly began to to write. She spent a few hours before she looking up and out of a window to raise her moon and returned to writing in what most likely was her own personal journal. She was only interrupted when the loud pop of a letter appearing on her desk. She ignored the scroll for another while before making a mark in the book, placed the quill pen in the inkwell and closed the book. It was here that she picked up the scroll sealed with her sister’s cutie mark. She unfurled the scroll and began to read it. Towards the end of the scroll Luna actually looked shocked. “Dear Sister, what are thou thinking?” She placed the scroll down upon her desk and quickly turned to head down to the royal throne room. “Canceling my royal court without my input? Placing my guards, As well as taking WIlliam or wishing to take him under thine wing?” She began to stomp now as she descended the stairs.

She exited her personal quarters only to find the hallways empty. “Wha?” She did not finish as laughter began to sound around her. She spun and flared her horn only to have the voice change to a tsking sound.

“Come our dear Queen, surely this should show you just what you think of your sister and thine subjects, even thy precious human. You want him all to himself.”

“Nay,” Luna growled out. “I want his well being in mind, mine sister,” She shakes her head. “Mine sister plays too much with the slow movements of pieces and chess.”

“Oh yes, amazing since it was thee who took to the tactics of that game more then your dear sister. Tell us, do you not want to be seen as an equal by the Canterlot elite?”

Luna only snorted, “Nay, it is in fact better now, as I feel more able to work for the betterment of Equestria if I can work from the shadows. Know this, we shall fight thee with every ounce of power we hold.”

“Oh,” The voice quivered in mockery as shadows began to twist about. “I am shaking in my armored shoes,” There was silence, but short lived before a small snarl came from her left ear. “Though I or We should remind thee that it was we who should be making the threats. You really think the castle can remain safe forever? Can tho really protect William for the rest of thine combined lives? We shall have what we want.”

Luna growled. “Enough!” She shouted as she flared and let lose the spell the dream world exploded and she felt pain within her head. While screaming came from somewhere, it was moments later that she realized it was her own voice screaming.

Her eyes shot open and looked around as her soldiers were already securing the curtains and a few others had spears and swords pointed at her. She blinked before smiling and chuckling a little. “You have been trained well, I, You did well in fearing, but we are still here.” She rolled out of bed and stood before her troops.

Before she could speak one of her hoof maids came into the room and bowed leaving a scroll  “Your majesty, this was given to us to give to you when you wake up.” With another bow after Luna took the scroll from the small earth pony, the hoof maid left the bed chambers of Princess Luna. 

Luna with a quick move, broke the seal before unrolling the scroll, she slowly begin to smile as she continued to read. Soon she was re rolling it up and laughing aloud. “So,” She chuckled again, “My sister plans on showing our guest something to break his fear over treading lightly on military powers. We think.” She looked at her guards suddenly, “Leave, We have much to do before dinner with our sister,” he looked at another guard. “What is the list of petitioners for this night?”

“None your highness,” the guard paused before looking right at Luna, “Shall I cancel the court and have those that come get a priority meeting for tomorrow night?”

Luna only nodded her head. “Get to it, The guard has much to do, and little time, we have to be ready by dawn tomorrow.” She sighed with a smile upon her lips. “Poor, Poor William, he shall not know what hits him.” With that, she moved to her desk and taking a feathered pen and the same journal from her second dream she went to work writing down most likely what she dreamt, soon the only sound in the room was the scratching of the feathered pen on paper or parchment.





William slowly woke up after another long day and a restful night of sleep. He had ate dinner in the barracks with Spitfire and Rainbow Dash before heading back to the lunar tower to sleep. However when he awoke the next morning. This being the ninth of November according to his marking on the calendar. It was then that he noticed something different, there were solar guards in his room as they stood at attention and there in the middle sitting in the middle of the room waiting for him to wake was Princess Celestia. “hello my little pony.”

To Celestia’s amusement, the first question out of William’s mouth was “What are you doing in Luna’s tower?”

“Simply checking in on how you are handling four hooves and to invite you to a weapons testing grounds.” She smiled at Williams face as if he was going to try and talk her out of it, so she preempted the argument. “Someday, you shall return to Earth, when you do, I would like it if you could tell your people, I will let you pick if you tell your nation or this… United Nation of what it is that we as a nation, what I as an Alicorn willing to protect my people  can and will do to protect them. As well,” here she really began to smile. “As getting a chance to, well, let loose and go full power.” She sighed and looked up at a spot over William’s four post bed. “I get so few chances to show the full power, that some are starting to think that I am a pushover.”

William couldn’t help but think back to the defeat of Celestia at the magic of the Changeling Queen. He sighed and gulped a little before looking at the guard. “Very well, I shall accompany you to your testing grounds.”

Celestia only smiled widely. “Oh good, I was hoping you would say that, I would not like to make it an order on a military scale for you to attend, I much prefer willing ponies then ones that I have to order around.”

Nightstar, as he was still in the pony disguise, only nodded his head and moved to a part of the room where some temporary armor was stored for him to wear. He found that before he could buckle any of it on that it was enveloped in a golden glow of Celestia’s magic aurora.  Nightstar just turned and looked at Celestia. “I would rather you not have your armor on at the moment. I will conduct a magical scan and look over on your disguise, as I would rather you watch as a human, not a pony.” Celestia finally sat up from her lounging spot in the middle of the room and began to move to the door. “If you would follow me.” She was then walking out the door making Nightstar needing to do a fast trot to catch up with the princess of the sun.

They skipped the main dining hall and were quickly escorted toward where the royal chariots were kept. WIthout waiting for Nightstar Celestia stepped onto the chariot and he had to actually take off and fly to the chariot as it began to move and rise from the ground. He saw a look of something from Celestia but nothing afterwards. The rest of the ride was done in silence. Which he didn’t mind, as he was captivated by the beauty and scenery all around him. Soon he saw that they were flying out over the coastline and then over the blue of the oceans on one side of what he felt was Equestria.

after what felt like two hours straight of flying over the water, thankfully it had been broken up with Celestia running a few scans and quite suddenly and to Williams shock he was on his hands and back legs in a cramped position. Grunting he stood up and found that while a few bones creaked and popped he was able to stand up right. He looked around in amazement from under the bill of his Patrol Cap. “Woah, so… the form is settled?”

Celestia did not answer his voiced question and only stared forward into the empty sky and water that now surrounded them on all sides. WIlliam could not see any land at all.

Once more William found himself holding onto the edge of the chariot and looked out over the ocean surface, his mind wandered back to an old movie that he felt shaped his life when he first saw it. he slowly began to hum the theme song from the movie. In fact it was the first score of music in the entire movie. He slowly moved his eyes to look over the expanse before him. The scene really feeling like he was in the movie.

Celestia turned an ear towards him and then without moving her head she spoke. “What is it you are humming, it seems… intense.”

“A song, from a former enemy of my nation that was used as a theme for a movie that I loved your highness.” he responded. “It was a movie that I have memorized scenes, it was based on a best selling book as well.” Celestia only remained silent as she felt William would speak, one small question and she got him revealing a little more of his culture.

“The song is called the Hymn of the Red October, a revolution in the Soviet Union, now Russia, in the movie and the book their brand new sub, was named Red October and they used this song to help convey the opening scenes and introduce us to the main characters rather brilliantly.” he smiled softly, “A movie I would recommend seeing.”

Celestia only nodded her head. “Duly noted.” She smiled and rose her right wing and pointed to the horizon where the masts of a ship began to rise above the curve of the planet. “Ah, that is the Solar Flare… we are almost to our destination.”

William adjusted his Patrol Cap, and his field uniform as they moved closer towards to the ship and William saw a moderate sized island, well it was more like an atoll with a small jungle on one end of the atoll and the other side was covered in nothing but sand a few palm trees. For some reason something tickled the back of his mind but he pushed it back. It couldn’t be what he was thinking, they didn’t, could they? He thought to himself.

They soon landed with precision of a helicopter on the deck of the Solar Flare, even as they landed the crew of the Solar Flare went to work as they lowered the chariot into the hold of the ship. As this was happening, Celestia was talking to the Admiral of the ship. William was a little confused as he looked at the exchanged and listened, what or why was an Admiral in charge of a lone ship out this far?

“Princess Celestia, and Military Attache William Howard of the United States Army requesting permission to stay aboard.” William bristled a little at being called an Attache, he was a cadet, and not trained for this, yes he was told to let it slide but he realized he could go only so long living this lie.

“Permission granted,” The Admiral turned and whispered something to the officer next to him before turning back to the Princess and William. “I take it you are here to show off and flex your power a little?” 

“Yes, I would like him in a prime viewing section, be sure he has the proper gear, the testing will begin in about ten minutes.” She smiled and snapped opened her wings and took off in flight. William saw no other sailors or guards take off to follow her.

“This way sir.” The Admiral called out pulling William out of his thoughts and him watching the Princess of the Sun grow smaller and smaller as she flew out to the atoll itself. He turned and followed the Admiral to the rear deck of the sailing vessel. The ship to him looked like a stylized Man of War from the Caribbean but he had a feeling it was special built, at least his gut told him that. 

For example the rear deck of the ship seemed to have been set up for viewing of the island. While at the same time acting as the ships bridge. William was lead to one of the front rows of two rows of chairs facing the island. 

“Here you are sir,” A female voice spoke as he saw a light blue wing holding out thick dark goggles to wear. “Please put them on when you hear the bell toll like made.”

William looked down at the googles and paled. They, it was just like, he snapped his head up and looked around. “Uh… protection against fallout? The wash?” he asked in worry.

All he got was a few looks of confusion and the Admiral smirking and laughing. “I assure you the Princess would not allow us to be harmed by the dangerous particles of her charge.” he turned to the blue mare. “Cadet Lightning Dust, please return to your post at the helm and prepare for the tests.” 
“Yes Sir.” Lightning Dust saluted and turned around to move back to standing in front of the helm of the ship.

The Admiral moved and sat down next to William, as William looked at the Admiral, he was a Pegasus, A black coat with storm grey eyes. The Cutie Mark he noticed which was visible at the bottom of his white Admirals coat was that of a two mast sailboat.  On his head was a large two corner hat with the corners originated with the points pointing forward and behind him. “Good mare.” The Admiral spoke suddenly shaking William out of his reprieve. The Admiral looked behind him. “Working off her time for some… troubles she caused. Manning the helm of a ship that moves, maybe once a month at the most.” The Admiral looked sideways at William with a smile. “I was ordered by her Royal Highness to tell you that, not sure why, but…”

Suddenly the ships bell began to be run like mad and without a word the Pegasus Admiral slipped the goggles over his eyes. William quickly followed the example as the Admiral with pride and awe spoke slowly. “You get to see our Princess’ full power.”

William stared at the island and suddenly a blast of light that would have been blinding if not for the goggles, which amazingly to him still allowed him to see the sight in front of him, and as he watched complete fear began to wash over him he actually began to push back in his seat before he began to move his feet as if he was going to bolt. “Got to be safe, duck, inside… no the wooden construction...doomed” he moaned the last word as the mushroom cloud rose higher and higher, as it did so his mind mentally played the age old air raid siren that was always accompanied the scene before him. It was then that he noticed that the debris and material seemed to at that second hit some invisible wall right at the beaches edge and slowly seemed to be pushed up a little. Still even with that, those around him could feel the fear radiating from him, this was to those around him confusing, as for guests, they have never seen such a reaction of almost instinctual fear and terror from the most powerful spell. The cloud growing taller and the sounds they now could hear was that of the most angry of storms, howling winds, the sound of debris being shot around the land and just the unholy roar of the heart of the monster cloud as it worked to finish its one destiny.

It was here that William saw something that literally broke his mind and he lost track of time and sat there as he saw the cloud begin to actually, rewind itself? He just sat there and stared dumbfounded as it looked like he was watching a movie being rewound on the TV. He did not know how to react, he knew he was seeing real life but at the same time his own mind was telling him that it was impossible what he was seeing, the complete reversal of the destruction was impossible but he was seeing it with his own eyes.

He was still sitting and staring at the horizon in just slack jaw horror and amazement at what he just saw. He did not even flinch when Celestia teleported onto the deck with a ball of blazing light the size of a baseball floating over her horn. She blinked and looked at William and then over to those gathered around.

“How long?” She asked with worry as she moved closer to William. However she stopped as her ears picked up a small side conversation from the main deck of the ship she turned around and looked at the two sailors conspired near one of Luna’s cannons. Her gaze when the two caught it slowly slinked away. It was here that the Admiral walked up and saluted. “Admiral,” She began, “How long as the attache been like that? I also do not like the idea of having my little ponies betting on how long the alien will play statue.”

The Admiral only nodded his head and directed her a little away from the seats towards the other side of the vessel before speaking. “He went like that soon after the cloud formed. As those nearest him, myself included, we could feel his entire body racked with terror and complete horror. Whatever it is he came from, that image he saw of your power means more,” he paused as if to find a correct word to describe what he saw. “It was like he was seeing a nightmare from his past coming to life before his very eyes.”

“That is because it is,” A new voice called from the air as the second Princess of Equestria, the Princess of the Night as one of her titles proclaimed landed on the main deck of the Solar Flare. She walked up in full battle armor and looked at her sister with a look of disdain. “I had hoped you would have waited for me, not only do I enjoy seeing you cut loose in a controlled environment, you do not know the Military Attache that well.” As she spoke a small squad of about ten Lunar Guard ponies landed around the deck as well. They were contrasted by the Solar Guards that came with Celestia with their still black coats and blue manes and bat like features.

The Admiral actually stepped back at the rather forward way of speaking of Princess Luna towards Princess Celestia. He was even more shocked from when Celestia returned in the same manner.

“I did not wish to harm our friend, but I wanted to see him unwarned or rather give him the full information on what I have hinted at. It seems that humanity’s finding of the atom and the power of the sun even as small as I did… has an effect that I have not seen in many, the Griffins see me as a controlled force of nature, those in the Military see the spell as a spell of last resort. The Dragons respect me for the heat of fire I can produce by that. Yet… Our guest here.” She moved her head and Luna saw the ball of magic fire on her horn, but said nothing as her sister continued. “Fears it like an uncontrolled force of nature that is unleashed by monsters.” Celestia actually looked conflicted here. “Why does he fear the thing that he in the rail car, defended so hard as a correct path of humanity?”

Luna paused and looked like she was thinking before speaking again. “Because, even if it was the right path as he believed. It still represents the most powerful weapon out there. A weapon that can level an entire city, and that was their weakest made. Their first one. They…” She closed her eyes. “In one college class he was shown a website that showed the radius of damage one of the new bombs could make…. it covered almost the entire state he lived in.”

Celestia just stared. “You’re, you’re telling me sister, that these humans have brought the very power of the sun to their planets surface?”

“Yes.” A weak voice spoke as all heads on the deck turned to the chair where William had just been sitting in. He was weakly standing up and still looked pale. “Yet, we also have some of the most powerful power plants around, we have means to produce power in such safely controlled plants of today, that we could power entire cities off one plant… we we are allowed to build them… even in the modern age, almost two generations removed from our World War where we first used the power of the atom. Folks hear the word Nuclear and think right away to the bombs and missiles that can be launched from silos, planes, and subs.” He took a steadying breath and moved to try and stand closer to the group but only managed to get to the last row of seats and use the back of a chair for support.

“What is a sub?” Celestia asked ignoring her sisters small nicker.

“A vessel that is enclosed and able to dive to the depths of the ocean.” William replied with a small grin and smirk that showed pride in knowing this little bit of information.

“You, but you don’t look all that strong, how can you build things without magic?” Came a voice from the helm and Lightning Dust just stood there grinning as well. “I say you are just bluffing, only thing that can dive in the ocean for extended times are the Sea Ponies.”

William only laughed before clearing his throat. “We humans appear weak to  you on the outside, but we have through technology, conquered the air, land and seas; above and below, as well as on a daily basis launch artificial satellites to orbit our planet to help with everything from communication to studying the far reaches of space.” William smiled not seeing Luna smiling as William got on a roll. “We have created from days of ancients abilities to pipe water from lakes to cities far away, bringing water and redirecting its flow. We have created seeds and agriculture that just fifty years would not have existed, we are growing more food now than a hundred years ago.” William’s face fell a little. “Yet, because we have had people in the past, and even in the present that wish to kill us, conquer us, take over the tech, or just have unnatural power and dominion over us, the worst are those of which have expressed such a hatred against certain ethnic groups… we have our weapons to defend ourselves… while others have the weapons to wage war for the sake of conquest… Earth, you may see us as violent, or what not, but we are not violent on purpose, we are doing our best to be peaceful, but, others, others just wish to take what power or authority they have and try to ram it down others throats, Vikings from ancient history, though all they wanted was to really pillage and plunder, or so the collective cultural memory of them goes, I don’t know much about them. Then there were the Communist Russian a few times, most recently was during what we called a Cold War, and today, our enemy we seem to face, are not any one nation or nations, but small groups of radicals that wish to push their small closed minded beliefs on others by the point of bloodshed. EIther you go with us or you die.” He moved and closed his eyes. “I saw the attack on two symbols of my nation, one civilian, and one military, three planes,a  fourth went down in a field when the passengers fought back to gain control of the plane again… I know many of that same religion that are peaceful, but a small few…” he smirked a laughed. “On a planet of over seven billion a small few can still seem like a lot. Still we..”

Luna held out a wing. “You do not need to explain or make reason on your own feelings, your own feelings are you own, and you do not need to feel shame for them.” She looked at Celestia’s horn with a discerning look.

William slowly nodded his head before stopping it and looking at Celestia, mainly at the ball of light and fire above her horn. “Is. but… you’ll irradiated, you have irradiated the entire area, do, the radiation the, what are you thinking?” he yelped and looked like he was about ready to actually lecture the Princess of the Sun.

Celestia only began to laugh. “You think I, being Princess of the Sun, you think I could not control the radiation that is made from the burning of this power?” She smiled a little and tossed her head up into the air and sent the ball of fire and light into the air. “So, I shall let that go and warm the sea a little, the radiation will be like that of a very warm day, you need not fear dying of sickness.”

William only stared at the sky, and missed the look exchanged between Luna and Celestia. He was surprised when suddenly he felt his body be teleported and his surroundings changed. He looked around and found that instead of on the ship, he was in a place he had not expected to be.

He felt the warm breeze and the scent of the ocean as the trees around him swayed in the breeze, As he turned around to look, he just froze as he stared as he could hear the chuckling of Celestia at his side as he stared. “That…”

“Glass from the explosions that I have let loose in the past. Completely harmless, the radiation I cannot dissipate into the high atmosphere I just absorb it into my body.” Celestia spoke cutting William off with a small light laugh. “In about a year I will harvest this and let some of my glass blowers craft it into something for the castle.”



Celestia only laughed and spread her wings wide open. “Yes, this island is home to families of Phoenixes… in fact my own companion came from this island.” She smiled and turned her head away from William only smiling.

He then felt a cold presence and a shadow pass over him and stay over him. William spun around and saw Luna with an odd grin and a glint. “Now that my sister has gotten to show off her own little powers, I think I should show that I have more than a keen mind to lead troops but I too will be able to terrify humanity with my unthinkable means of control.”

She spread her wings and William felt darkness but a kind that had substance that seemed to slowly begin to press in against him and he tried to breath and yet it felt like he could draw air into his lungs. Just as suddenly it started he felt warmth, a breeze over his body and he could breath and the sunlight, it was wonderful to his eyes but so bright that he had to close his eyes and they still watered. “That was one of my first tricks I wanted to show you… I can travel in the shadows,” She paused and he could hear her horseshoes crunching the sand under him. The warm sun heating his back and the air around him warm. It was almost like a paradise island from the pacific he read about.

Suddenly the air chilled and he opened his eyes to look and while the sun shone down around him he slowly began to see frost and his breath turning out puffs of clouds from his mouth. He began to shiver as Luna stood a ways away her wings spread out and her eyes glowing an icy blue glow. Suddenly it was warmth and he could feel his body slowly lose the feeling of being an ice cube.  Slowly he could stand up and when he did he notice her motioning him to follow her with a wing. 

He stepped forward and slowly followed the Princess of the Night. As he walked he could only hear silence, the breeze was nice and as he listened he realized that the breeze somehow was making some kind of musical sounds. He found that Luna had stopped and looked down at the ground. He followed and found himself up on the bank of a pound. It was beautiful and crystal clear. WIthout a word Luna lowered her head and her horn touched the surface of the lake and from where her horn had touched the water, ice began to form and spread, first a small thin layer but as time went on, the ice spread and thickened until he had a gut feeling that she was freezing the water solid.

Without warning Luna lifted her head and stepped back a few steps before charging across the ice, and with a small motion William felt he should follow her, and so he did only to find his boots freezing solid to the ice about ten steps onto the ice, and as he looked down he saw ice slowly spreading up and over his boots. He knew that if not stopped the ice would spread and turn him into an ice sculpture on the lake surface.



	

Luna paused and turned around in confusion on the other shore as instead of panicking and yells, she heard instead laughter, and there on the ice was William holding his stomach as he laughed. The ice had risen now to his ankles and yet he kept on laughing about something. With worry for the mental health of the only human and a great tool for the war ahead she fired a magic shot from her horn hitting WIlliam in the chest and the cold ice magic spread over him and he found himself free from the icy prison that was or had been working its way up his body, and still laughing he began to move over the icy surface and soon he was on the beach next to Luna laughing and now rolling on his back laughing his head off about the situation he had been in. She waited till he had finally calmed down before looking at him or rather looking down at him from her stance at the beach edge. “So… what caused you to break up laughing in that situation? I mean usually I had found in the past warrior either fight and try to break out, or break down and scream and beg. Yet, you start laughing like a man who was attacked by feathers.”

William remained on his back and looked up at the palmtrees swaying in the breeze before he began to speak. “to be honest, the situation actually reminded me of an old family story of an ancient uncle. He was a school teacher in the east coast and would take the same route home every night. Now we do not know what or why, but he had an enemy and so one dark winter night. He carved a hole into the floor of the covered bridge, and the uncle fell through the hole and died in the river. Now the name of the river is the neversink river and the next morning due to freezing weather, the ice had pushed the man’s body to look like he was standing on top of the ice. Now, how we know this is, because the man that did the deed, the story goes, came down to see his actions and saw the sight, the frozen body of his enemy standing on the ice, it says he went crazy right there on the bank and confessed to the deed. So,” here he was grinning again and tried to keep from laughing. “So, for me, I felt that if I did become some sort of ice sculpture, it would be somehow one that would drive any who looked upon it, it would drive them insane.” He began to laugh again.

William was surprised when Luna began to laugh and she leaned in a little. “I doubt you could ever get me to get so insane as to confess if I turned you to ice, but if you want… anyone who wishes to take your life… and morbid if it does happen, They will be the ones who will find themselves driven crazy.” William noticed that her lips were twitching and trying to keep composed and not laugh. This only made William to start laughing a little more, and that finally broke down the wall and Luna feel to the ground on all four of her knees and began to laugh as well.

“It appears,” She began between laughs, “Thou hast an power of thy own.” She smirked at the confused look from william as he still smirked and laughed. “Thy power it seems, is one of seeing light in darkness.” She smiled. “When thou seest the night sky, thou seest the lights not the darkness.”

William blinked and looked over at Luna and slowly his face clouded with confusion, “Uh? What?” he asked a little confused by what she was saying. Only to have Luna laugh even more and give him a cryptic look that William found a little annoying.

She stood up and smirked. “Come, I think You need to rest and you look like you might need a drink now.” She raised a wing to stop William from speaking, “Yes I know thou dost not take strong drink, but this I assure you is not strong at all, like a fruit juice drink and nothing else.”

William blinked and slowly got up and followed her towards another part of her island, and soon he found a small open air hut with only support beams and struts that supported a thatched roof, in a way it reminded him of some of the pictures he had seen from the pacific islands. Without missing a hoof step, Luna stepped into the middle of the building and closed her eyes as if to concentrate, and then the wind began to pick up.

William remained still and standing while leaning against one of the main support beams of the interesting hut as the wind began to tug at his clothing a little. In the middle of the hut Luna’s mane was slowly being teased and tossed about by the wind, a wind that William to his amazement and shock was forming a small tornado as she then with control and precision picked up some fruits before tossing them into the tornado. Yet again an Alicorn was trying to break his mind as the tornado took on a mixture of the fruit’s colors as the tornado or hurricane… he was not sure what to call what he was seeing before his eyes. All he knew was it was a miniature malstrume.  

Luna smirked and with a flash and crack of thunder with lightning the tornado seemed to split itself and dropped its contents into two waiting glasses. The drinks he saw were garnished with a little umbrellas and a good layer of salt around the rim of the glasses. 

Luna lifted the two glasses with her magic and walked to the back of the hut and their in the sunshine was a table with two comfortable chairs. “Usually it is I treating my sister, not a guest from another world. Or a common colleague.”

William only nodded his head a little as he and she settled down at the table. After they were seated Luna placed the drinks onto the table. “Now, an Equestrian way of drinking this Fruit concoction,” She smirked a little. “Which have not fermented, We doest not like giving strong drink to our soldiers as it can affect their night duties in an adverse manner.” William only blinked and before he could speak Luna continued. “Now… the proper and elegant manner to do so is to sip the drink while twirling it so that the juices dissolve and carry the salt to the pallet, of course in high society it is not uncommon for a noble-mare or stallion to gently suck on the edge while doing so. The important thing is to when you are finished, to leave no salt around the edge of the glass.” She raised her own glass up to her muzzle. “Now observe. Afterwards you try.” She smiled or smirked, William was not sure which as she began to drink it as she described.

She took the glass and slowly sipped the glass, as she twirled it around as she licked and politely sucked on the edge with the salt. She paused halfway and motioned with her glass to the one in front of William. “Now you try.” With that William slowly picked up his own glass and slowly copied the actions of Luna, he did smiled a little, as the taste was, unique to his taste buds and he actually liked the taste and the texture of the drink. Soon they both had finished the salt rim and Luna with a grin tossed the rest of the drink down her throat while tossing her head back. William decided to try and follow suit and found that he had to take two gulps to finish his own drink off. He only smiled a little. “That was a good drink.”

Luna only nodded and grinned. “As well as a good way of getting you ready for your next stop in this small military tour. You see, I put some extra stuff in your drink.” She giggled at William’s shocked face. “Oh nothing too serious just enough of a boost to let you handle some heat and visit an semi active volcano site.”

“A,” William began, “An active Volcano, are you sure Your sister and you are not trying to kill me?” William asked as he stood up at the same time as his question. Mentally, he was questioning the sanity of these two Alicorns. He had heard of tourists wanting to visit and see the volcanoes in Hawaii but this, the way she was speaking he was thinking that they were going to get closer than those tourists did, and it worried him.

Luna only smirked and looked to the sky as one of her chariots landed from what might or must have been a holding pattern over the island. As William looked up he noticed that Celestia was in her own chariot and a small flock of Pegasi guards were surrounding the Princess of the Sun. William looked back at Luna’s Chariot and slowly stepped forward to climb on board. “Don’t be so worried, I doubt anypony will be falling into lava.”

William only smiled weakly before his mouth dropped into a thin line at the joke, but he said nothing as the chariot took to the sky and Lunar Guards began to take up positions around Luna and William. With a silent comment from the two monarchs the two chariots took off into the horizon. He blinked as he tried to stay awake, however he soon found it hard and found himself suddenly being shaken awake from something. He didn’t remember speaking or muttering but when he was looking up and fully awake he was seeing the ponies in Luna’s Chariot just smirking and one doing very hard not to laugh.

“What? What happened?” He asked as he sat up fully in the stopped chariot.

One of the Guards only rolled their eyes. “Sorry it is just… Humans seem to be very… peaceful and, cute when they sleep.”

William only rolled his eyes as he stood up and looked around. One thing he noticed right away was the heat; a heat that far greater than when he at the islands. He took a hand and rubbed his forehead a little. He also noticed that the landscape was barren and no vegetation was growing, and yet as his eyes swept the land he began to notice something else.

“Uh… woah, did not expect a diamond field here.” William breathed in awe at what he was seeing.

“Well, it is good to have a place for them to eat when they get hungry, don’t want them flying all over the countryside looking for both food and collecting for later meals.” Luna replied as she snuck up behind William. She smirked as William jumped a little and turned to face her. She spoke before William could voice anything. “Yes, this is a Dragon roost.”

“A Dragon Roost? So, all this for one Dragon?” William asked only to blink and furrow his brow at the laughter from all the other ponies around him. “Uh… more than one?”

A rough rumble like sound soon echoed around them, and to William shock a giant green dragon with wide wings landed next to Luna with the only sound of the ground taking the impact of the large dragon. “Ah… so, you have brought me a new toy to terrorize?”

William felt his heart which had started up a little bit faster after stopping at seeing the dragon, a live dragon other than spike and looked like it could eat him in two or three painful bites. The words of toy and terrorize sent it even faster and higher into his throat. 

Luna shook her head. “No… he is like others, he is to report back to his people just how many are in command of the Equestrian Military, and… a little show of force.”

The rumbling sound emanated from the dragon and William realized that the dragon was laughing. “Of course, of course. Just hold on, and I shall gather a good show of force.” Without another word the dragon took to the air and flew towards one of the mountain peaks, not even reaching it there was a roar and William stepped back in fear and terror as even more of the dragons flew up into the air, some smaller, other larger and all it felt were different colors or different shades of the same color… and they were flying right towards him. The fear and emotions were finally too much and William knew now that he was going to black out. After all, only seeing dragons in fiction and lore, suddenly having an entire flock or herd or something heading right towards him with the sky darkening to their shapes, it felt like a fleet of B-17 bombers were going to wipe him out. That was his last thought really, of bombers heading towards him.

William came to not in the mountains, nor in the chariot, but to his surprise he was in the bed that he had been sleeping in for what felt like the past week. He also saw the Luna was sitting next to the bed and she smiled a little at seeing William. However he could feel a bit of, well something in the air. 

“I am sorry.” Luna spoke as she bowed her head a little. William’s face fell into a confused look as she continued to speak. “I am afraid that we, my sister and I overdid it… your heart, it went a little funny and it was only my sisters actions that kept you from having… a worse condition.” She shook her head. “I forgot that you only saw Dragons as a mythos and fiction. So many of them, and with the knowledge of the stories in the past and seeing so many of them…”

William tried to smile weakly but still he was now miffed. “Well, if you wanted to freak out the human for the day, you all succeeded.” He didn’t laugh but kept talking. “Still, if I did this, imagine the average citizen on a wider scale, or the military leaders, just showing you have dragons that listen to you… well, if they are like legends of the past.” he paused. “Yeah our leaders are not going to be happy if they learn their weapons will not harm them… that they in fact bath in lava. Just…. yikes.” He shook his head again. “Still, whatever ideas that you all would be hard pressed to hold a defense against modern militaries… controlling storms like hurricanes, the Atom, Dragons, Ice, water, tides…. you, you are both controllers of nature and weather, you can shape the weather to your advantage on a whim… and that scares me.”

Luna only raised her head. “But some day I wish to show humanity that ponies are peaceful and only show or use force if threatened. That what we do is to use our powers to make more lands habitable, especially after the Discord era.”

William looked at Luna. “I know, but so far, it seems that only I am here as an ambassador of cultures.” He sighed and looked down. “I still feel sleepy, may I rest?”

“Of course, you may, and I promise you no nightmares will be too much of a problem for thee.” Luna replied with a faint smile. WIlliam returned it with his own faint smile his mind trying to understand just what it was that Luna was saying, still his body was rebelling and he slowly closed his eyes drifting off to sleep.

> Midnight Renewel
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

	William blinked as he felt something nudged him awake. He yawns a little and looks around and blinked before actually shooting upright and then cringing in pain as he falls to lay on his side and actually fall out of bed as blanket, hooves, feathers, and a bit of mane or tail falls into his face. “Wha?”

Twilight’s voice broke through the mental confusion as William tried once more to get reoriented. “Well, uh… Princess Luna and Princess Celestia thought it best if I tried my hoof at trying to detect your magic, and… I,” She took a deep breath and blurted the next part out in a pinkie pie styled statement. “The next thing that we knew you turned back into your pegasus form and Pinkie Pie raced out to find a cake for you, Rarity is in the corner wondering what would fit your new form, Spike is excited to see it happen again and Rainbow actually yawned and said he knew this already.” There was a pause. “How did you know this before we did?” She turned to look at Rainbow Dash

Rainbow and William both shouted at the same time. “Classified.” There was a pause and then the two began to laugh a little at the situation a little. This only caused Pinkie Pie to pout, Rarity to rub a hoof over her ear, and the others just to shake their heads at the antics. Still William, a shake of the head as he reminded himself that in this form he was Nightstar.

“What’s the problem?” Nightstar asked… and then cursed himself in his head as he realized that he was using Luna’s knowledge of body language against his friends and learning and seeing things that he was sure that, he shook his head again as he knew that they were all hiding something badly from him.

“Well,” Rarity began as if trying to think of how to tactfully say something. However she was interrupted by Applejack who snorted a little and shook her head while taking her cowboy hat off the top of her head.

“What we are all trying to say sugarcube is that while we would like to stay and continue to learn about this crazy human world of yours…” She trailed off as well but William smiled a little.

“I was wondering when your real world lives would come back, thank you for your time and the help you have given me. If I can I will come and visit.” William smiled as he slowly untangled himself from the blankets around him. “Besides, It was I that messed up your Nightmare Night celebrations.” he shook his head, that felt so long ago, yet it was not in a way. “Still, uh, write will you?”

Twilight only smiled a little and patted Spike on the head with a hoof. “Sure, I can make sure that Princess Celestia gets the letters to forward to you, I think that would be the best for security.” She smiled a little as if from some debate between her and Rainbow Dash.

“Oh don’t mind those two.” Rarity had snuck up to William’s side. “Rainbow just forgot that Twilight's brother was Captain of the Guard.” She finished her little conspiracy whispers and trotted over to Spike and sat down and gave him a small pat on the head as well, this Nightstar realized was to change him from looking daggers at Nightstar to staring at Rarity with big puppy dog like eyes.

Pinkie only smiled and jumped up with another explosion of Confetti. “That would be terrific. Then you can meet Gummy, The Cakes, Roseluck, and…” She trailed off as she bounced out of the room and the others smiling and giggling a little left the room as well. Rainbow was the last to leave or rather faked leaving before turning around. “Nightstar,” She paused before shaking her head. “William, whoever you are, know this… you go rogue and harm any of my friends or the princesses I will beat you to a pulp.”

nightstar only nodded his head slowly. “Understood Cadet Dash of the Wonderbolts.” He smiled then softly and gave a Pegasus Salute to her, which she returned with a smirk.

“Not bad, still need a little practice, but I think you can be cool, not as cool or awesome as I, but still a little cool.” With those words Rainbow Dash left the room without a second look.

Nightstar groaned and shook his head as he was once more left alone in his room. He closed his eyes and opened them again. “Better see Luna, something feels off.” He smirked a little and slowly stepped forward to avoid the pain in his body. “Twilight, oh Twilight I thought you were smarter than this, I am stuck for the moment.” He shook his head. “Well, maybe one of the princesses can help with this,” He sighed but smiled as he slowly stretched out the muscles that he was still getting use to.. “Still, at least I can see what they were aiming for, seeing if I could survive with Unicorn Magic outside of the castle.” He laughed a little and slowly trotted to the door to get some breakfast.

He found that the last few days had allowed him to memorize the route to where he would eat with the two Rulers of Equestria. Halfway  to the breakfast room, two Lunar Guard ponies, or Threastles as he learned their species name were moved up to either side of him and gave him small sideways looks but he caught small smiles for a second. He was being escorted into the royal meal chambers once more he realized, a formality he felt now, but it felt good to have a little bit of protections. He would not have to worry about any more nobles trying to ruin his morning. To his surprise he found only Luna and Celestia eating, with a third spot set for a pony, he smirked a little as he thought to himself that Celestia must have already learned of his current form already.

Luna took a napkin and dabbed her muzzle a little. “As we learned from Twilight, we felt it would be rather remiss to miss a chance to teach thee some pony manners upon eating Breakfast.” Which she smirked. She was eating some dinner foods at the moment. “Come, sit, and partake and we shall teach as we go.”

Celestia only smiled. “I would agree, as you have been eating only sweets and our troops Guard Cookies, let us eat something a little more filling and healthy.” She smiled as she raised a small tea pot and poured a little tea and cream into the tea cup and presented it to Nightstar. “first a small sample of tea for your tastebuds.”

What followed was a rather enjoyable meal with tips and tricks and small corrections of what utensil to use. Then again Luna did give a grunt as she herself did not see the point of using so many different varying sizes of spoons, forks, or knives. Which cause a little laughter. It turned out that there were plans to change up the setting so as to help ponies a little. Go from outside in.

Still breakfast ended rather quickly and to NIghtstar's confusion Luna and Celestia left the room without another word and he found himself alone and so he slowly got up and moved to the windows of the room he had grown use to. He poked his head out the window and looked down upon the gardens and statues. He had grown use to Discord not being a statue even though that was what he thought he was. He shook his head and turned around only to see Discord grinning as he was once more wearing another shirt only this time it was a red shirt with a brass icon and a rectangle on the collar with four gold circles inside it. 

Discord could only laugh as the Pegasus pony stepped back and stating only one letter. “Q?” he asked in confusion and fear.

He continued to laugh a little before settling to standing over him, towering over him a little with the forms being different now. “Oh my,” he only grinned in that voice. A voice that belonged to an actor on Earth. “I do have to say that while I do like how you knew of my chaos bringing, I am not this Q that you think I am. I am just Discord.” He was grinning widely and laughed a little as he pulled a rubber chicken from his back. “Still, I will give you this advice.” He handed the Chicken over, and it turned itself inside out to create a scroll. With some confusion and difficulties Nightstar was able to unroll the scroll and found something that surprised him.

“You are, you are willing to forgo playing with me, on the condition that I accept whatever it is that Luna asks of me?” William looked a little nervous. “You are saying, if I read this correctly, that I agree to her plans, and you will stop messing with me and reminding me of my home, why?”

“Why?” The master of chaos and mayhem asked with joy before his voice settling to be very serious and William remembered the times Q had turned serious. This was important William thought to himself. “Because if the Nightmares win. Then I won’t have any fun, and frankly… their dreams and actions and what they did to little lulu… I just want you to make them pay my little human maker of chaos.” With those words Discord vanished leaving the room empty. Literally empty as he took everything with him. Before it returned, but attached to the ceiling and not the floor. Nightstar shook his head and ruffled his feathers a little at the antics. “Discord.” he found himself unable to help but smile at this event.

It was a few moments out of the room that William realized one thing. He had eaten every item placed in front of him. From not just eggs but flowers, hay, and food that he was sure if prepared the way they were, he would. “I can eat like a pony.” he whispered to himself, but paused. He remembered a strange look from Luna and so at the first mirror to come across he paused and looked into the mirror. He realized that it was an impressive piece of work with gold around the edges and the glass was polished to perfection. He blinked and then opened his mouth a little to look at his teeth and what he found startled him, he could slowly see the changes, it was.. “But the enchantments aren’t active.” he muttered as he tried to get a better look at what he knew were tiny fangs in his mouth.

Still, he shook his head and moved away from the mirror, and shook his head a little harder. “Magic, well, maybe things are different for me… a body of magic and not flesh and blood truly… maybe the enchantments were mixing together?” he asked himself as he continued down the hallway as he tried to think of something to do for the day. He had no training scheduled, the Mane Six were packing to leave later in the day, and the Princesses were either going to bed or already in meetings. He heard during breakfast that Princess Celestia was going to meet with some of her advisers to deal with some border issues, as well as to come to a final compensation amount to the Apple Clan for using their land during the attack on what was now an imposing castle of the night in the Everfree forest near Ponyville.

So, here he was, he sighed and decided to go back to his room and read a little bit. What was meant to be a small reading season ended up being the rest of the day as he worked a little in reading from the small manuals and the Art of War that he had ended up owning thanks to the Nightmares, or whatever it was that gave him all the equipment in the first place. Still He soon was yawning and moved to lay down on the bed to take a small nap.

The next thing William knew, he woke to the sensation of his body being shook rapidly causing his eyes to shoot open to try and see just what was shaking him awake, he was in the castle, he knew that so what was happening was the castle under attack he wondered due to the heavy and rapid shaking, he moved his head to look to his left and where he felt hooves shaking him. what he saw was a heavy built mare in full night guard regalia looked down at him. her draconic eye's made him feel exposed. "it's time" she said before moving back to let William or Nightstar to get up and to get ready.

He blinked but nodded his head rolling out of the bed without any protest. The mare then began to lead him slowly out of the room and down the corridors of the palace, never leaving the Lunar side of the castle, he soon realised they were heading down a section he'd never been too before, and one that was almost always guarded by other Lunar Guards. the walls were blank, no pictures were on the walls, no banners hung from the ceiling.

He remained on alert. His wing feathers and fur bristling as he went on the edge, trying to draw in all the information he could, only problem was it was getting darker. He noticed that this was deliberate as the torches were getting further and further apart. As for the guard next to him, she was starting to blend into the shadows. He however kept his pace the same, but was working on being more... calm.

The corridor ended abruptly in an very intricate mirror. only instead of reflective metal or glass a sheet of volcanic black glass adorned the center. the mirror itself was forged from brass and so very little light reflected off it. the mare stood before it. gesturing for William to keep going. He could see all of this with two blue cold fire torches.

Nightstar, who was realizing that this was what he had been hoping for. He had been looking forward to this, and now, now Moonbeam hopeful Nightstar steeled his nerves and slowly made the motion to move forward. As he walked into it the volcanic glass, it seemed to take him in. a feeling of cold shot through him as his vision went dark. for moments all he could feel was the cold, and see nothing but darkness. He shivered or at least tried to shiver, but found that his body couldn’t do that, all he could do was to keep moving forward. if it was cold, he should try and get to warmth at the end of tunnel he hoped for.

He saw a light ahead of him, as he approached it a soothing heat echoed from it, soft warm inviting, he could make out the sound of rapid hammering. He blinked in confusion but quickly began to walk, or rather trotting to get to the light that was shining at the end of the tunnel.

As he entered the light it faded into a large cylindrical chasm. it took him several minutes to realise it was a long extinct volcano. up where the mouth would be a giant piece of quartz sat suspended by long gold supports and the moon sat directly over it. the moonlight focused onto a large white piece of stone. in front of the stone with her back to him was Luna. magically controlling three large metal hammers. between her and William the entire Moonbeam Lunar Guard stood to attention in a asle. "Rookie" the Mare said as she entered from behind. "Welcome to the Lunar Forge.”

He looked around but remained silent, many military traditions were keen on silence, and well, if a forge of the sun was by fire, then the moon, being a colder place, then again with magic his mind raced, then this could be a forge but not of the kind he would know.

The Mare lead him forwards slowly. as she did he noticed tendrils of shadows and light colliding together on the stone as Luna hammered them in time with her hammers. he could see the shine of metal beneath the cloud created by their collision but he could no see under it.

"Light reveals all within its grasp," Luna started as they continued to approach.

"But the shadows conceal where light cannot touch," the aisle chorused.

"The sun gives fire onto the world," Luna continued.

"But the waves and tides bow only to the moon," the aisle continued.

"For every ray of light," She spoke with a ring of the hammer

"A shadow is cast," a singular guard spoke up this time

"For every shield born." Luna called out.

"A sword is forged," another guard answered

"When light cannot reach," Luna said

"We shall take to the shadows," once again a singular soldier.

They finally reached the end of the aisle. the mare bowed low to Luna as she turned around. well she was still Luna, William could see in the concentrated moonlight her slitted glowing dragonic eye's and her wings became scaly and batlike when the light touched them.

He blinked in shock but quickly regain his composure, Luna was good at illusions he recalled, from Lunar eclipses when she had used her Nightmare Moon form for fun. He had a small moment of lost military stance but quickly regained it and stood ready.

"Look upon us William," Luna said "this is the true nature of the dark, it is neither beautiful nor glorious" she spoke.

He just stood there. He did not wish to contradict the Princess, but he just stood and looked upon Luna.

"Moonbeam hopeful Nightstar, you have expressed your wish to join the Lunar Guard, and you have been found worthy. look upon us, look upon those that would be your brothers and sisters in arms, do you still wish to join us knowing what we are?"

He nodded his head. "We fight from the shadows, so those that live in the light may not know the true fears of the dark. We fight the darkness by making it our own, making it our strength." he replied, remembering a small phrase Luna had left in his room a few nights ago. He remembered talking to Luna about how some units in the US were called ghosts for they don't exist, but do to help defend the US when possible.

The darkness behind her abated revealing a dark finned helmet it levitated over in Luna's magic "then Nightstar we offer you a commission in our service, we offer you the eye's of the dragon so that you may see what the shadows would hide" she held the helmet to him.

He said down on his haunches and took the helmet to place it on his head, amazed at how it fit him like a glove.

His eye's burned momentarily. then suddenly his vision improved vastly, the darkness seemed to abate all around him every shadow, every crevice he could note it all. to the outside world his blue eyes shone with twin black slits.

"These eye's and their abilities will only last when you wear the helmet" she said "to allow you to move swiftly and silently" the last of the darkness dissipated revealing a black suit of armor with two wing holes on the back. "we offer you the wings of the bat" The armor moved closer to him and in a flash of light as it touched him. he found it on his body snugly once again a familiar burn on his wings and then it was gone. He waited for permission to see his new wings, but he felt that he coat had changed as well to make him look more uniformed in color as the other guards.

Luna then smiled as her horn light up. in front of the guards, but right there in front of Nightstar materialized a large mirror built to show his whole body too him.

He looked on in shock as he saw himself, at least the figure blinked when he did. Only it was very much like Luna's guards from Luna Eclipsed he realized. It was uniformed, and he realized like any other stallion and mare in her guard, an image that could strike fear into hearts of ponies and hopefully monsters alike. He began to slowly smile as he realized just what this meant. "This is, wow." his words barely a whisper that only one creature heard, and she was smiling with pride at seeing her craftswork fitting William nicely.

Hooves clapped on his back as the others in the guard broke formation when luna gave the go ahead. congratulations and such were given all around. "welcome to the family" some voice called, but he could not place where or who said it.

He nodded his head. "Thank you."


What happened next was something a little more familiar to William from watching friends taking it, only it was for another nation. He had to swallow a lump in his throat and quash a sense of betraying his own nation. He reminded himself as he spoke the words that if he failed her. Then the words of his own nations oath of officers would become lost and even his homeland subjugated by the Nightmares. He stood on a small stage with Luna holding out her right wing and so William copied with his right bat wing. Behind him were not just the flag of the Nation of Equestria but most likely the unit that he was swearing into as well.

“I Nightstar Do give an oath upon the moon and stars that I shall to the full extent of being even till death to protect the Royal Princess Luna and my fellow guards pony from all enemies outside and within. With this same fiber defend any foe that wishes harm upon her. We shall follow every order given. So help us Luna.” William voice rang through the cavern and to all listening they could feel the conviction that he believed every single word he was saying.

"You may speak nightstar" she said "we hold nothing between us"

He bowed his head. 'Thank you your highness." he replied. "It is an honor to have made it to this point in my life."

"We are honored to have you" luna said "would thou like to see thine new look?"

He nodded his head once in a sharp manner.

What followed next, was something Nightstar remembered from Earth, it was rather funny in how similar events were. What followed next was a small party, with punch, snacks, and a cake cutting ceremony. It also was a moment that Nightstar saw of Luna that was rare. It was something that would remain with him for the rest of his life, What he saw was Luna as a commander, but also, acting like a mentor and friend to those under her command and he did learn a few jokes and a few barbs that he could now speak to the Solar Guard in gist. While the two would work together and be strong united under a threat, he found the same sort of rivalry that one might find between the US Army and the US Marines. As he once put it, it was like two brothers ribbing each other, but get one mad, you got not just one but the other brother as well.





William blinked as he slowly returned to the Castle but blinked upon the small group he was with did not turn towards his hallway, nor did they really let him move that direction. Instead they began to move and climb up the tower, up towards a location that he had only been to once, Luna’s bottom study. He looked around but felt that saying anything would not be welcomed and slowly trotted with them towards this new development.

The entire trip was done in silence and somber feelings. That is till they entered what he was calling the visitor galleries. It was here that one of his guards spoke, a Lunar Guard that he had not met yet. “Nightstar. You have been picked to be part of the Lunar Personal Guard. While you are on duty you shall be quartered in the small barracks that are off to the left of this room. However before we begin, Luna wished to see something.”

Luna William had noticed during their talking had pulled the same mirror from someplace and placed it in front of all of them. “Now, please, remove your helmet. I did not say anything but here, I shall mention it, the magic of your form seemed to, warp when mixing with the full might of my enchanted armor. Please, I need to see if it did anything permanent.”

William only nodded his head and with a little nerves on end moved his leathery bat wings to take his helmet off and, nothing. He felt nothing when he removed the helmet there was no stinging tingling like when the helmet was placed upon his head and when he looked at the mirror he saw the same image of a Night Guard looking back at him. “Wha?” he asked in a bit of mixed awe, worry, and amazement.

His ears picked up some chittering behind him and he turned around to see that the others had removed their helmets and like him they were not changing back to what he thought would be normal ponies. “Uh… this is, I thought there were.”

Luna interrupted him with laughter. “That their were only three pony races? Nay my new recruit. I had loyalty of a race that my sister felt would be best left in the mists of time. You,” she seemed to glow with some pride at the next words. “Are in the form of a Threastrle.”  Luna only grinned wider at the dazed and confused look she got from WIlliam. “Here let us explain a little more before the dawn arrives and we all retire to bed. You may tell your ponyville friends what you have learned tonight about your fellow comrades while we travel, they to their homes, you and some of your comrades to take up station at my old personal abode.”

William slowly nodded his head and followed the example of the others as he settled in for Luna’s explanation.





Earth, North American Continent, United States of America, Washington DC, the White House.
October 24, 2012.

President Erickson looked out the oval office’s windows towards the lawn and the lights of Washington DC further out. Overhead he saw a storm blowing in. He looked back at the lawn as he saw a few flashes of lightning moved from cloud to cloud. He could hear the rumble of some of the thunder that was overhead. He shook his head. They still could not get the weather perfect they said tonight was going to be a clear night.

He turned his head slightly as, he smiled it was one of the Marine Guards this time who had opened the door for his daughter and son. That was one thing that made him smile. Their seemed to be a rivalry between many of the men who were assigned guarding duty of his family. It didn’t help that his daughter had seemingly wrapped not only him but the security teams around her little fingers. His daughter was wheeled in by another Marine who after placing her in a spot next to the couch stood and rendered a small nod of the head. The President returned the gesture with his own nod of the head and the two marines took a stance by the door while staying inside the oval office.

The President smiled a little as he turned around fully to sit at the desk to begin the normal nightly tradition on the weekday. Bedtime stories in the oval office. He smiled at his children as he sat down at the desk and pulled out a large picture book. The title was Green Eggs and Ham and he slowly began to read the first page when a sudden flash of light outside the window and the boom of thunder sounded making all but the Marines jump and look around with fear.

It was just seconds later that all eyes were drawn to something in the room that was floating just above the President's daughter’s head. A glowing expanding ball of light. Without a word the Marines moved to get the daughter out of harms way, they however were too slow for without any warning the light expanded with the sound of a firecracker on the fourth of July and from the light something landed into the lap of President Erickson’s daughter.

“Susan!” He yelled as his eyes caught on something strange about the thing that was in his daughter’s lap.

Susan blinked and looked briefly at her father before returning gazing at what was in her lap. Her brother just started and the Marines were behind her with their hands on their sidearms, yet they remained holstered, they could not risk harming Susan. They just hoped that . It was here that the Secret Service barged into the oval office making the creature stir and her brother to break the spell of silence in the room.

“I… that is a Unicorn… my…. did I just see a girls wish come true?” his voice while almost a whisper was loud after the silence of all staring at the Unicorn. The Unicorn looked to be sleeping as the sides were rising and falling, and oblivious to just what was going on around it.

the moment of silence was broken as the Secret Service rushed to Susan's side and pulled the creature off Susan's lap and as soon as it was on the ground, the group had weapons out. This caused Susan to cry out and begged them to stop.

The Unicorn snapped opened its eyes from the commotion and saw the creatures around it pointing things at him and with fear and crying himself he covered his head with his forelegs and hooves and began to shake and mutter out, calling out for his mother and daddy.

To all in the rooms surprise, Susan spoke again but the words were not English, nor was it Russian, Nor Spanish, not even Koren was coming from Susan’s lips. It was, it was the same sounds coming from the, the Unicorn. It was here that as the events were calming down that the Secret Service realized that the creature they had just thrown to the floor of the oval office was a creature of mythology. And the President’s daughter, was talking like the creature.

After a tense minute of, well first contact Susan looked at her father. “Can he stay with us? he is scared and he misses his family.” She paused. “Also he doesn’t want to be found by evil men of this world who would… kill him.”

“Susan?” Her father spoke slowly. “WHat… is this about evil men?” he shook his head, the youth of children and simple concepts. “Are you saying something… brought him here?”

“Oh!” His daughter gasped and then shook her head. “No, evil creatures that took over one of his princesses long ago sent him her so they could bring a man of black heart to their world… and conquer both worlds.” She looked at the Unicorn as if asking if it was correct. The Unicorn made a movement that any equine on Earth should not have made in the first place. it shrugged.

Her father just looked at Susan and her begging puppy dog eyes, and then at his Secret Service. “Well,” he sighed and steeled his face. “Gentlemen, I am trusting you all in this room to protect my daughter, who seems to speak to this creature, and this Unicorn with the full protection that is afforded not just my daughter but a foreign diplomat.” he slapped the desk to silence a protest. “We don’t know what just happened, but I want my daughter to know that we will protect her new friend.”

Susan squealed with delight and jabbered away in the new language again and the unicorn seemed to actually relaxed.

“MY daughter,” President Erickson spoke slowly, “Susan, what did you say to your friend?”

“Oh, just that he is a friend of me, and my daddy, and that he will have the protection of the entire United States of America while he is here… does this mean he… what do ponies eat?” She wondered before returning to talking to the Unicorn colt again. “oh, he is a he.” She spoke to her father again before returning again to her conversation with the Unicorn.

Susan’s brother just sat there. “Dad,” he began with a sound of a statement question in his voice.

“Yes Robert?” His father returned while looking at the two Marines. “As for you two… I want you assigned to Unicorn Duty right now… use the code name Unicorn, no one would believe it was a real creature.” He had used the time his son had formulated to speak to give another order.

“Dad, what…. can I help in protecting Susan and her friend?” he looked at his sister and the Unicorn who was standing up and looking around at the room while Susan it seemed talked about the most powerful room in the world.

“Very well Robert, I, I think that can be arranged, I think we need to protect all in this room a little more diligently” he looked down at the desk. “First contact in the Oval Office with another sapient race and we may very well have been given a warning.” he looked up. “I want the FBI to look into any unusual situations that have happened tonight or earlier… anything at all… I just, I want to see if we can make a guess on who was taken from the Earth to this Equestria… start with the United States first.”

“Mr. President, why start here?” One of the Secret Service men started. “The world is so big that the most logical locations would be either China or India with their population sizes.”.

President Erickson only smiled back. “You don’t know writing or storytelling very well, usually when something like this happens, the exchange happens in the same kingdoms or cities… so start here in DC and move out around in circles.”










Location: Classified

        “Sir!” A man in white coat shouted in surprise and confusion. “The stone, THE STONE!!!!” He yelled as he stepped away from a stone tablet with a very intricate circle and waves of lines and ancient knot designs as it glowed white for a few seconds before dying down. “SOME…” he caught himself as he realized he was yelling. “Something just, it activated, something just, something happened.”

        Behind him a regal female with a short conservative hairdo stepped from a hidden elevator. “Is that so?” The voice was well cultured and refined, Also it was a high queens english in accent.

        The Scientist only gasped and turned around before bowing low. “Your, your majesty, I, I am unsure of what it means… but it must mean something important.”

        “Then I shall let you get with your work, I do wonder, if anything else might have changed in the ancient archives, come Mark, shall we look?”

        Behind her a wizard old man with a long gandalf like beard followed and the scientist was sure he saw a twinkle in the eyes of the old man. “Of course your Majesty, I wouldn’t doubt things might have changed or… dare I say activated if what we saw was correct.”

        The scientist heard an odd sentence from the Queen as she went further into the archives. “Imagine, Magic, the real magic returning to earth.” he shook his head and turned to continue working on his station and tapping on a computer next to the stone tablet, hopefully he could figure out what had triggered this event.

> First Assignment
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

	William turned in a smart turn as his eyes stayed forward as he marched in front of alcove that had inside a thick wooden door that was shut and locked at the moment. He finished he walk, twenty steps forward. He stopped and brought his feet together and slowly marched stepped in a turn to repeat the same twenty steps on the length of carpet that was his post. He was at the moment guarding Princess Luna for the last hour of the night. In his hands his M16 was clutched. A round was chambered and his thumb on the safety he had orders to shoot anything that tried to get past him. Even his own guards if he had to. The only guard in the hallway till shift change was to be him. He stopped as he finished another twenty steps and did another march turn before starting it again.

during this time he kept his eyes alert and senses as well, yet he needed to keep things in his head under control he was still thinking about home again. As well as words from Princess Luna in that he should spend time to construct a place of refuge, a place that he could retreat to if he needed to gather his thoughts. Or contemplate. He paused bringing his feet together as he heard something and turned to the sound he glanced quickly to see that, well it was shift change. Sure enough the locks at a door at the other end of the hallway unlocked and a small flag was waved through the crack that was opened. William quickly turned and finished his last ten steps to reach the end of his post. He smartly did a left face to face the door. “Enter and present thyself for guard duty.” he moved to place the rifle a little bit so if anything happened he could fire back.

The attack that he was told that might happen never came as a lone Night Guard entered and at his side a sleepy Luna walked next to the guard and on her other side was her personal assistant. “Stand and deliver names and ranks.” William ordered.

This caused the veteran guard to blinked and looked annoyed, that was till he heard a click and saw the rifle move to point at them. “I say again all who approach the door must identify or be attacked as an enemy of Princess Luna.”

He did not really notice Luna smiling, however he did hear her voice. “Princess Luna, General Princess of all Night Guards.”

Her aid sighed and spoke. “Night Rose, personal assistant to her Royal Highness Princess Luna.” She giggled a little at having to go through this so many nights.

“Lunar Field Marshall Black Sky.” He sighed and looked at Luna. “Can you please just give them a book with faces on them and names?”

Luna only smirked. “Oh? I thought you said just on our way here that all the guards look the same, and so if you say that, how would a creature like William tell you from a private?” She smirked a little and turned to William. “Excellent, I trust nothing entered the hallway during the evening court and meetings?”

“None, Ma’am.” William replied with a curt nod of his head. He was told that this was a place of no saluting.

The Field Marshal looked like he was chewing nails. “Ma’am, this is Princess,” He was interrupted by a wing smacking him in the mouth.

“I know the proper words would be General Princess, however I am not a Princess over William, as such I felt that he could give me the same respect he would the Generals of his nation.” Before things would go too far out of hand or mainly hoofs with the Field Marshal, Luna looked at William, “Dismissed, please gather your things and report to the Lunar Station under the castle to board. You are being shipped off to my castle in the Everfree to help staff it and be there in case any latent Nightmares who escaped the full scale attack survived. Your travel orders and transfer notices are already on file and being sent on the train, as well as all your equipment, even those in the vault.”

“Yes Ma’am.” William fought a yawn but kept his bearings and moved crisply out of the hallway. He was wearing his dress uniform that Luna had made or commissioned for him to wear during her night courts. Yet he realized that other then that first night this was the second time he had ever worn the dress uniform. He heard Luna shake her head. “No, that is not right for him.” He did not stop to ask what she meant, rather he just placed the comment back into his mind for later pondering.

He went back to his room, during the time he took to think back on the last twenty four hours, mainly on the induction ceremony. While it was true that he was not being part of the military, his cover at the moment would have to be his Pony form being part of the military. He wondered if Luna liked the ceremony itself as frankly while optional, it seemed to him that Luna had put some emphasis on it, so he went ahead with it. While William Jefferson Howard was still free and what not. Nightstar was a part of the Lunar Guard and subject to following the orders. He also agreed because he was already getting cabin fever, yes it was a big castle, and lost to explore but he liked the idea of being out and about, and a little bit of having a little more freedom away from the Princesses. 

As he approached his room he blinked in surprise as he found his stuff already being crated up. He looked at the stenciled information and saw that he and his gear were slated for transfer to Ponyville. Still he turned and still wearing the dress uniform he started to move down into the castle and towards the underground train station. As he slowly walked down the stairs he soon found other Night Guards as they all streamed towards their train. However as he walked, he blinked and noticed something hallways and doorways were blocked by Royal Guards of Celestia’s own. Being the emblem of a red sun nestled like in a nest of two wings spreading out underneath the mark. Another emblem from a thousand years back. Nightstar paused at a section of hallway as he was suddenly finding himself hearing the marching of hoofs from a side hallway as he turned to look to his side he saw a small formation of Celestia’s Own march around the corner and towards the small intersection in the combined barraks underground passages of the Castle. He was slowly realizing how many passages for the Castle actually went into the mountain and were out of sight. He also noticed at some hallways that their were slits or other defensive positions built into the mountain to hold off enemies who were trying to take these passages.

He found himself rather suddenly swept up it seemed in the formation, and found that he had to march with this group. He felt rather open, whereas before he felt like he could blend in the shadows and with his fellow guards to where one might not be sure how many were in a hallway, he stuck out like a sore wing with all the white coats and gleaming gold armor and the emblem on the front of their armor in the front of their barrel chest.

He gulped as he found himself heading towards a inspection room where officers were to be inspected he had gotten a tour from Spitfire during his first few days of training and now. He blinked as he saw Celestia pause in the hallway looking glum and serious as she saw her troops yet he found himself turning his head in worry as he tried to find another doorway to escape into. Yet he could not shake what he saw. IT appeared Celestia was or had been not focused at the last few seconds on her troops but on him, and her expression did not bring to him a feeling of a loving monarch towards a subject. He gulped a little, it almost felt like his mother had been staring him down after finding the sink full of dishes after being told they would be done.

He saw he escape at that moment and pushing those thoughts away he had to fly up into the air and down the passageway, landing and continuing the momentum down more flights of stairs and soon his ears were picking up the sounds of his destination and with an added boost of speed he rounded a corner and found himself entering the underground station.

What followed was akin to any other train station, only instead of humans there were ponies and they were all mingling, finding their coaches, While other ponies were loading gear into boxcars, as well as a few cranes were loading Luna’s Artillery which reminded him of 1700s cannons. He blinked as he heard his name called from another section of the cavern and he blinked before waving at a pink pony. “Hello Pinkie Pie.” 

Pinkie Pie only smiled and jumped up and down shouting over the crowd. “Oh, this is so much fun, I mean we get to travel by secret train, never did that before… Hey you think we can have a secret train party on the train?”

He didn’t hear the rest of Pinkie’s questions as he felt a tug on his arm and he turned to see another guard. “Hello Sergeant.” He called to the Lunar Guard at his side.

“If you would follow me.” he replied, getting right to the point. “I shall lead thee to your coach.” Without another word the Sergeant began to walk away. William blinked and moved quickly to follow the guard. William soon found himself settling down into a seat that was next to the window. However as he noticed other guards were feeling like he was, sleepy and nodding off even before the train was departing. He blinked as he felt a hoof shake him and he looked around and then at the guard next to him. He saw also that they were still in the station. “Yes?” he asked while trying not to yawn at the same time.

“Why are you here?” The guard asked. “I mean, you don’t seem like you are trying to get home, if I ended up in another world I sure would be trying to find a way home.” The Guard William noted with a quick glance was a Private, but still he smiled a little at the question.

“I would like to try to go home, but frankly I was brought in during what appears to be a build up to a rather bad war that could spread to my world.” He closed his eyes. “Something that our nation tried to do in the past was to fight enemies abroad so that our homeland would not face the terror or taste of invasion.” He shook his head to wake up a little bit more. “I fight here so that hopefully we can beat them here and not risk them spreading to my world.”

“So,” The guard continued yawning as well. “Are you going to go home when this is done?” The guard blinked back sleep a little and opened his mouth. “I mean I would like to come back here. I would miss my family.”

William blinked and moved to look out the window as a steam whistle blew and soon the jolt of the train moving forward jolted some awake or like the guards in front of him, thrown into one another and they were still asleep. It was after the clicky clack became normal he spoke. “I would like to go back home. I would love to work on returning home… but I also know that I am making friends and inroads here that may very well require my return… so maybe a way for the two worlds to be connected like the tunnels we guards use?” He turned to look at the guard only to see him slowly nodding his head before his eyes shut for sleep. William smiled, lowered the blind on the window a little and settled in for a good three hour nap during their trip to Ponyville.

it felt like seconds later that he was roused from his slumber as the train slowed, and a few yelling at each other from the guards as they awoke to find their seat neighbor sleeping on their shoulders. William slowly tunned out the noise as he began to move his arms and legs. What he found interesting was that due to the rail car being built for Ponies he had more legroom than what he felt would have been a first class seat on most airlines. He smiled a little and waited till the train finished with the noisy breaking, bell ringing and the entire time William was smiling like crazy. He had just taken a train not as a tourist for the history of being on a steam pulled train, but as an actual means of transportation. It took him back to a few historic movies as well as a family vacation to the Durango and Silverton to celebrate his acceptance into the college he wanted.

He was jolted from his memories as the Guard next to him woke up and pointed to his neck. William sighed and nodded his head. He would miss the next few days to weeks being able to return to human, but this train was the last of the protection Luna could afford him. He tapped his pendant and found himself on the ground on all four hooves and he folded his bat wings after making sure that everything worked first. He slowly clip clopped off the train and onto the wooden platform of Ponyville train station. He looked around and from the few times he had seen it from the animation viewpoint he realized how much was missed, from the water tower a good few feet from the station to just how large the station was really. It also reminded him of a rather pastel colored representation of the United States’ Old West stations. He blinked and found himself prodded again by the same private. “Come on, you're holding up the line.”

William only nodded his head at the Guard, he could tell now that he was a natural threastle and as such he figured knew of the situation. He moved forward and moved towards a small herd of Guards as he watched rather strong draft like ponies hitching themselves up to the cannons and he saw a few Mortars lashed down on carts for transport. He shook his head. Just what was Luna planning to do with what he saw as a collection of howitzers, mortars, and regular canons. This was more fire power then he saw when they attacked the Sunny Town position he realized as he saw even more flat cars behind him. Then he saw the boxcars being unloaded with crates upon crates of supplies. So while waiting he counted the train from locomotive to the caboose, all painted and designed to reflect the Lunar Princess. What he found were eight boxcars, twelve flatcars, and five troop coaches. He could not see how the boxcars were loaded but to the flatcars they were loaded with both a Howitzer and a Mortar with four canons on either end. He was about to do the math when once more he was interrupted by a bugle call and he followed lead to line up into formation. He noticed from his peripheral vision that a small crowd was gathering to see this show of force from their Princess of the Night.

Nightstar remained at attention with his fellow troops as he received their orders. They were to march with guard in front of, and on either side, as well as behind the larger stallions who were being hitched to the artillery pieces, they were to then march around the town of Ponyville and enter the Everfree forest spur that lead to the borders of Ponyville from the left flank. Here the Moonbeam scouts will fall out and clear out any underbrush the grew during their absence from the previous maneuvers from Apple Acres. Plans were to arrive at the Lunar Castle by the second watch of the night. At which point they were to help garrison the castle with the skeleton crew left behind by Luna, and prepare the castle for Luna’s arrivial in one weeks time. What followed were orders and commands for different groups of guards to fall into their assigned formations. 

Nightstar realized quickly that at the moment that he did not have an actual unit home yet and moved to take up the right flank position when an Officer stopped him. “Nightstar?” The Officer asked gruffly.

“Yes sir.” Nightstar replied with a nod of his head, he was not saluting as they all were in the field and Nightmares may very well be around watching this formation.

“You are to come with us, you are to march with the Headquarters of the Luna’s First.” Nightstar remember his lessons from the night before, the Luna’s First were all Thestrals and were the oldest regiment or Battalion in the Lunar Guard. “Well fall out and report to your correct post.”

“Yes Sir.” Nightstar muttered softly and fell out, he quickly found the HQ formation of Luna’s First. It had the flag with the different Campaign ribbons hanging from the pole. Which were many, many ribbons of different colors, and wording. He would enjoy reading the different events later. He quickly found a spot, which he realized was near the General of not just Luna’s First but also this entire expedition. The General gave a nod and snapped one wing open with a crack sounding like a whip. A bugle sounded and soon the entire formation started to march. While overhead they were followed by many curious Pegasi from Ponyville and along the path were ponies as well. 

Nightstar blinked at he noticed a group of fillies and small colts, a group he remembered. “Oh no.” He muttered, which caused one of the Lieutenants next to him to give him a strange look. He almost asked before Nightstar answered him. “We are being trailed by the CMC, or Cutie Mark Crusaders, and well, according to Ponyville stories, and my own eyes, they… can be a rather big force of chaos, and destruction in some areas… Just talk to either Applejack or Rarity.” he chuckled. “It didn’t help that I had to secure their clubhouse from Nightmares who wanted them due to them not having found their special talent.” He trailed off as he looked back at the group and groaned. “They are following us, and seems they picked up a number of other children.”

“Don’t worry about it.” The Lieutenants muttered. “They won’t go beyond the Everfree Forest boundary.”

“Actually,” Nightstar began, “Applebloom has spent time in the forest learning from a Zebra named Zecora, at least that is what Applejack told me.” This made those around him fall silent and looked back at the ponies. 

“Then,” The General spoke up startling the small group of officers who were talking. “We might have to keep an eye on them and make sure they do not get too much trouble over their heads.” He paused and looked to a Thestral who was his aid. “Make a note and see if Luna would not mind inviting these Crusaders to the castle, I believe she enjoyed meeting them during Nightmare Night last year.”

The rest of the march, was actually a little uneventful. As he was with the HQ part of the formation, he was not asked to help clear the way, nor to help with the artillery in the middle of the formation. He figured it was because he would have caused more problems then helped solve and that made him smile a little in that the commanders knew the strengths and weakness of their men. He also on the march learned about three new marching songs that he could add to his little memories. As for by the time they reached the castle walls he was getting rather good at repeating the cadence of words. He wondered if he could tell some of his own marches he learned in both ROTC and from the videos he saw from online. He smiled a little before finding himself marching with the HQ towards the front of the formation and there the entire Headquarters merged with the garrison’s HQ, and he saw a lot of guards lining up, the artillery pieces being pulled up to the back and he saw the gates closed to the outside world. Suddenly the General of the troops stepped forward and in a booming voice that echoed through the courtyard of the Lunar Castle drew all the ponies to attention.

“ATTENTION!” he shouted. He smiled at the sound of hoofs and armor moving as one to become statues before him. “As ordered by her Royal Highness and Supreme General of the Lunar Guards, Princess General Luna does hereby place The full Moon Beam Regiment in charge of the Lunar Palace.” He gave a signal and the Regimental flag was hoisted up over the castle on a flagpole that had been constructed recently. “Let all who approach know that Luna’s Personal Troops guard this site.” He smiled a little. “Dismissed, Find your bunks and rooms and them meet in the dining halls for dinner, Guard patrols and duties are already posted in the halls. REGIMENT!” Shouts carried through as it trickled down to Platoons. “FALL OUT!” with that the ponies shouted as one “Goorah.” Then they began to disperse to their own tasks, mainly heading to a large weapon train that had been pulling into the Castle now, it seemed the supply wagons were making their way through the front gates.

Nightstar jumped again as he heard his name called, this time from the General himself. “Nightstar, follow me, we have some things to take care of… seems your file has a few holes that got lost.” He turned and sighed as a small group entered the Castle walls through the gate. “Great… a Noble with his own hired troops, why we still have those laws allowing nobles raising their own small number of troops…” He stopped and looked at Nightstar. “Major!” he ordered and one of the Night Guards walked up and nodded his head. “Take Nightstar to the Regimental offices for the paperwork, I have to find out what to do with, House Timberwolf now that they decided to commit some of their lives to this cause.”

“Yes Sir.” came the crisp response from the Major before turning to face Nightstar. “If you would follow me sir, We shall take care of this right away.” The Major turned and began to walk away, but slow enough to allow Nightstar to catch up after a slight pause.

“Wait, sir? Are you saying I am being placed in as an Officer?” This was, this bode ill for him, he just hoped he got a good NCO that could teach him how to handle himself as an officer of men.

The Major looked to his side and at Nightstar. “You could say that, but you’ll learn more when we arrive at the offices and get this all hammered out.” Nightstar did try to start a few more conversations with the Major but they all were ignored and so, the last two hallways to what was about to become the new command center of this Regiment was finished in silence. Even when they entered the room, or rather suite, as it was a large front room with a door in the back of the room leading most likely to more offices. The front also had desks and filing cabinets that must have been moved in. Along one wall where stands for flags, a lot more than just the three at the moment, He recognized the National flag for Equestria, the Lunar Guard flag, but the third, he figured it must have been the garrison that they were bolstering, it must be their flag he thought to himself as he was directed to take a seat. “Now,” The Major spoke as he sat down behind the desk. “We wait for the General.”

The wait was a few minutes, in which time Nightstar had busied himself by walked over to some of the maps on the wall to look them over. One thing he noticed was just how out of date the map he was looking at was. Then again he reminded himself the Castle was from before Luna’s banishment. He chuckled as he realized a few moments later that another map had been placed next to the first one, this one a brand new one it looked like to his eyes and he could see a rather stark change, for one thing the Everfree forest had grown and become more wild, what had been small outposts or villages were not overgrown or outright abandoned, even the mention of Sunny Town was no where to be seen. His ears heard the door open and close behind him but at the moment he was actually fascinated to see the change of borders between Luna’s old map and the new one, concerning the Crystal Empire, if he was reading this correctly, then Luna had lost a bit of royal lands up north. He wondered if she ever planned to reclaim those lands that were by the, Nightstar did not get to finish his train of thoughts as he heard a throat being cleared behind him.

He turned around and nodded his head. They were indoors and so, was not required to salute. “General, I was informed by the Major that you can answer some questions I have.” He watched silently as the General only walked to a desk and sat behind it. Placing his fore hooves on top of the desk and looked right at Nightstar before speaking.

“Depends on the questions Officer Cadet.” He replied, only smiling at seeing the rise of the Thestral’s eye brows as Nightstar just sat down in confusion. “I have been briefed on what you really are, and your importance to the Royal Crown.” He smiled a little. “Also I have to say thank you for going with Princess Luna’s suggestion of joining her guards, she could see that you were getting a little restless in the castle and she felt being in her guard would allow you to see a little of Equestria while we all worked on protecting you from anything that might happen.”

Nightstar after a bit finally found his voice and with a small bow of his head spoke. “Thank you for accepting me into your ranks, but why an Officer Cadet?” he looked back up at the General.

The General moved a little in his chair making it squeak a little before he answered the question. “It says here in General Princess Luna’s report that back home you were in a course to try and become an officer in your military.” He paused and looked at Nightstar “Is that true?”

“Yes Sir, it is true.” Nightstar replied feeling funny and silly answering these question as a pony when they were directed at his human and real self.

Nightstar watched and listened as the General shuffled some papers, then the General continued. “With your training you had and some fudging on Luna’ part you were placed into the last section of an Officer Cadet, in field mentorships. Mainly in my unit.” A small chuckle. “It won’t be much you will learn how to lead troops, command them, and lead small patrols through the Everfree Forest. Nothing too difficult. Stay long enough and you might get stationed on the Griffon Equestrian sea border.”

Nightstar looked at the General and while he had many other thoughts from how he wasn’t planning to stay that long and that he wanted to return home after this storm was over and how he had no plans of being on any borders. He replied with a neutral sounding reply. “Thank you Sir.” He felt at least to thank him. He did not want a General angry at him because he insulted him by saying he wanted to do something else.

Still he was not comfortable with where he was. He shivered as he remember the last time he saw Celestia in the hallway. The look she gave him still unnerved him. Almost like as he thought back he thought he dedicated a smirk at seeing him being marched away. Did he, was he here not on Luna’s orders? He wondered but found that he should not question that at the moment.

“Sir,” he began breaking his mental thoughts and focusing on the here and now. “Am I to stay in the Officer’s wings of the Barracks?” Nightstar asked as he shuffled a little on the floor with his hoofs.

“Negative,” The General replied. “I have been told you are taking a guard room next to the high ranked guests wings. Seeing as we might get a visit from Cadet Captain William Howard of the USA.” he shook his head. “Can they focus on one way to call him? I can see the problems of a new civilization, but this is.” He paused and shook his head realizing who was in the room with him.

“I think Mr Howard gets confused as well with the titles.” Nightstar replied with a small smile to show that he did not mind the slight on the changing status quo.

“Very well.” The General replied. “Just so you know when you start asking for directions you will want to be directed to General Falling Leaf’s office tonight after dinner.” He nodded to the Major. “If you would lead Cadet Officer Nightstar to his quarters before dinner, it would be best for him to settle into his quarters before dinner, afterwards may become a bit busy.

Nightstar shook his head and thought back to the first days he was in Equestria. From a Human fighting a Nightmare to befriending a Princess, getting military training to fit in and a disguise along with a Moon Pony, these last three weeks had been brutal. He followed the Major to his room where he pulled out a calendar and marked another day off it. November 13th was the day he just crossed off. he smiled a little as he looked at the sixteenth where he had drawn a little cake and a candle on it. “Going to be twenty eight.” he sighed as he sat down on the floor and smiled sadly. “I miss you family.” he spoke to the air.





Meanwhile back at Canterlot. The throne room shook. The two Night Guards looked at their counterparts on the other side of the double doors. They heard rattling of the door. Neither one knew what to do. IT seemed that in the two full years since Luna returned or rather the two and a half years if you counted the half year as well. This was the first fight between sisters and while the doors had magic to keep those from eavesdropping it still shuddered from the forces of nature standing within.

Luna stood feet spread and her head lowered in an aggressive stance, her voice shaking the room. “How Dare you, How Dare you. Forging my orders, I thought you agreed that you would not mess with my guards. I could train them like I wanted.” She took a scroll and threw it at Celestia’s hooves as she sat upon the throne in the throne room. “What is the meaning of this, you not only ordered my troops to my castle, Against my own wishes I should add. But tried to ship William to the Crystal Empire.” She stepped forward as lightning crackled from her hooves striking the floor. “WHY?”

Celestia had remained calm and even then spoke calmly. “To protect you. To, To keep your heart from breaking.”

“Breaking? By separating a target of the Nightmares?” Luna growled back her eyes glowing a deep blue and her mane flowing angrily in a non existent wind. “DO you realize what might happen if they got him? He does not use a lot of his tactics he knows. He has remained civil and calm. He has not insulted anyone of this Government that did not deserve it. Even then he did not charge Blueblood when he was attacked by his guards. Yet you say you sent him away to not break my heart?”

Celestia sighed and looked to the side and one of the stained glass windows. The one showing her faithful student and her friends defeating Nightmare Moon. “Then why did you send him out. I thought he was going to the Crystal Empire till he was spotted in the Lunar Station area.”

Luna smirked. “I felt that it might be best for him to get out of the castle as well. As seeing as Ponyville is closeby, that we could visit Ponyville on semi official business.”

Celestia shook her head. “No, I cannot allow it, you said yourself that the night sky is having shooting stars which are reaching the surface of this planet, yet they are not shooting stars, they are from your project on the moon, which while lonely was a foolish choice the Nightmares have a base from which to attack anyplace on Equestria.”

Luna bristled at this.accusation. “How dare you.” She growled as her mane shimmered a little and Celestia actually leaned back a little.

“Please, continue sister.” She replied trying to calm her sister down now.

“Of course Sister.” The word was said with hurt and venom to it. “Now, William is not yet fully ready to face the outside, another month maybe. But at the moment he still is vulnerable, his training for mental protection is still mediocre at best.” Luna turned and began to march in front of Celestia, still speaking. “I do not know what our niece has told you, but it is not to worry about.” She looked back at Celestia. “I planned fully to return William to his world when the time came. As you said, friendship is a very important thing for me to learn, and that even means knowing when it is time to leave.” She smiled. “I plan to allow letters to pass though, just because William is home with his family, does not mean he should be cut off from the world he wishes to fight to save both worlds.”

Celestia paused and her voice was weak. “What if, if you can’t send letters, or he dies in this war you keep saying will happen.”

Luna paused and stiffened her sister had asked two questions she did not want to think about. “IF he dies I shall honor him and keep his body preserved for when we can return it to his home. I would bury a piece of his armor in the Lunar Volcano where I ceremonially bury my troops.”

Celestia sighed and shook her head as Luna turned and saw it. “Sister… if he cannot return, even as a mortal you are having feelings for a being who, won’t even live past a hundred.”

Luna glared at Celestia and stepped forward. “Yet you allowed Cadence to marry Shining Armor and yet, why? Do you think he is the same as your faithful student? What if he does something father approves of that lets him make a wish or I?”

Celestia just narrowed her eyes. “Luna, don’t ever think father will bail you out. He didn’t bail anyone else out and I had t o banish you. You rely too much on your faith of your troops and the outcomes rolling your way.”

Luna smirked. “Only because I know as that lovely book that I was able to read from William about the Art of his world’s ancient wars.” She leaned forward. “I trust fate because I know I will win. When have I ever faced a true defeat that did not play into my hoofs. You may be good at the long game of moving citizens and the world to keep the peace. I, I am able to be swift quick and brutal when needed. There was a reason why the Crystal Ponies came to me first when Sombra started he bid for power. They knew I could attack him. I just, moved to slow as I trusted thee Sister.”

Celestia bowed her head. “I am sorry for that Sister, I, I should have been more open to you. Age and years have taught that to me. Forgive me.”

Luna’s entire anger seemed to be snuffed out by that and next think Celestia knew her little sister and embraced her in a hug. “Oh Tia,” She replied, “I am sorry for yelling it just felt like the Crystal empire again, just, please let me handle William. He can still be a wild card, and..”

She stiffened as she turned and raced to one of the few clear windows in the Throne Room and she stared out. “The badlands are getting hit.” She turned to Celestia. “Sister I must go, and ready my troops.”

Celestia stiffened at the words. “Can, can you wait till after Hearth Warming Eve? And let the Crystal Empire provide some of their power?”

Luna shook her head. “Nah Sister, I can wait maybe till the end of the month but no longer. They appeared to have set up a base already and from what a letter said from your student, the Changelings are out there. Maybe now Nightmare twisted versions of themselves.”

Celestia only nodded. “Wait for a week, I think, you should know and see something I drafted in my anger and hurt when I was hurting from having you gone.” She moved and started to walk. “I never wanted to open this decree ever.” She whispered.

Luna intrigued slowly followed Celestia. “Do not tell us that this will banish me again?”

Celestia shook her head. “No, but I fear some might see it as letting the beast out of her cage upon a world not ready for a repeat of her ferocity.”

Luna blinked but did not smile, it seemed she was confused more than anything else.





Nightstar looked out from his quarters and looked to the night sky. He blinked as he saw the stars move a little in their positions and blinked as he looked at the book he found in his room. He found that while the sky was beautiful. And he was sure that some of the folks would complain about the movement of some of the stars, he found that it was a section that conveyed major orders for Luna’s troops and yet he couldn’t find anything in the book to tell what the orders were, just that orders were being given.

He turned as he heard a knock on the door. He trotted over to the door and blinked as he saw three guards in the hallway. “Please follow us, General Fallen Leaf requests your presence in his office.”

Nightstar only nodded his head and making sure that at least his armor chest plate was presentable, he slowly trotted in the middle of this group till they reached the door. Where one of the guards knocked a certain rythum on the door.

“Enter.” The voice of General Fallen Leaf called through the door. The Door was pushed open and the guards motioned for Nightstar to enter the room, as he did so he realized that they were not going to enter with him and in fact shut the door behind him as he entered fully into the room.

He blinked and jumped and turned as he saw a shimmering form of a disguise fall and he blinked as he slowly moved from his attack stance to bow a little to Luna. “General Princess. An Honor to have you in our Command Center.” Nightstar replied with a humble tone of voice.

“Please William, I do not want to see you bowing to me, in either of your forms you are too proud of a man to do so without harm to your beliefs. Please, return to your human form as well when you speak to me.”

“Of Course Ma’am.” Nightstar replied and moved a hoof over the crest and twisted it and while the armor fell to the ground with a clatter of metal. William stood and swayed as he got use to his upright stance again. “Woah… that was, a head rush.”

Luna smirked a little. “Now, as we have the US representative in our mist. I must speak with him alone.” She looked to General Fallen Leaf. “What I am to say is for his ears only, and depending on his actions, will later involve you as well.”

“Of course Princess General.” General Fallen Leaf replied with a bow and left by the front door, the same door that William had entered in by. Leaving the two to stand in the room.

Luna moved to the map and motioned for William to move forward with a wing. “Come. I must show you something.”

William slowly moved forward and stood to look at the modern map of Equestria and the world. He noticed that the map was now showing troop positions and posts. He saw a rather large island that was split in half. “It seems,” Luna began. “That my Sister gave away Moon Island or part of it to the Griffons, no matter.” She looked down and some part of the map glowed. As William watch he saw a town appear with a symbol over it. “There. The Capital of the Changeling hive.” She slowly positioned small markers spreading out a little. “From what I could gather from the last few nights when not teaching you some tricks I have spot that they had moved outwards in this way.”

She then slowly changed the map and William stepped back only to walk into an outspread wing from Luna. “Do not be scared, well, you can be scared but do not run. The stars that are falling, while beautiful and many in Equestria are saying thanks for me to giving them.” She placed a hoof over the badlands and then looked up and the area further north than the Crystal Empire also had the symbols appearing. “They were not shooting stars. They fixed their launching systems and are falling, and last night. A rather large number fell into the Badlands.” Luna closed her eyes and bowed her head.

She slowly turned and looked at William. “I am requesting, no,” She bowed her head as if bowing to a higher noble than her. “I am begging you to accept as William Jefferson Howard, a rank of Nightmare General of an Army that will be put together to fight the badlands.”

William blinked and stepped back a little. “Me, Lead? I, I only played and lead troops on a computer and even then I usually lost a large number. Why me? Why ask me when you have many more.”

Luna looked up and her eyes sad. “Because,” She began, “You and I, and only one other knows fully what the Nightmares fully plan to do to this world.” She looked guilty as she spoke the next words. “Because if we do not beat them here as you have said, would then move to your world to enslave it for their purposes.”

“How long do we have before they start spreading out from the hive?” William asked as he looked at the map again. A worried look and a frown crossing his face. “I am taking it that you will help me at least to build the military?”

Luna slowly stepped up and placed a wing over William’s back and shoulder. “Nay my equal.” She replied. “Celestia and I will disolve our forces and the normal Guard and create a force from scratch. This threat will require troops from all nations to gather. The Nightmares will corrupt anything they find, from trees to the rodents in the ground. The Badlands will fully live up to that name in the campaigns to come.”

“How much time?” William asked again as he shivered, the Nightmares, he knew they would attack sometime, the Lunar base that they had with Luna’s children was enough proof but he had hoped he had more time.

“We leave after Hearth Warming Eve this year. By then the troops will have reported to their new places. My old friend Fire Brand will have gathered his dragon kin, and I can have called in my debt to the Griffons. The New Year will see Dragons in the Crystal Mountains, Celestia guarding her nation that she had loved and protected for a thousand years, and the two Nightmares.” William realized that she meant her and he. “The Nightmares,” Luna repeated after a pause. “Will go and attack their main base, and hopefully at the same time deal with the Changelings so they do not threaten Equestria, or any Ponies ever again.”

William only smiled grimly. “Very well Nightmare General Luna, I accept the position. I take it you will back me up? As I am a good trap bait.”

Luan snorted. “Both of us are bait traps. They want their own Queen, and they would loved to give their Queen a King.” Luna’s voice had a mocking tone to it. William nodded grimly. “Let’s show them that they picked the wrong two lives to turn upside down.”

Luna smiled and laughed a little. “Indeed my fellow General. But come, you have not had dinner. I shall insist you dine with me. However I think a dinner on a nice cloud will help. Tomorrow I think Ponyville should meet you William and not Nightstar, we shall be there right next to thee.” She smiled and looked back at the map. “I say it would be good to fill up on the happy memories and friends. Those are some very powerful weapons against the despair of a Taint and a Real Nightmare.”

William only grimly nodded his head before smiling. “It will be nice to see what happens in Ponyville.” He replied. “Thank you,” he began and let his eyes rove back to Canterlot. “Thank you for helping me that first night. I, I do not know how my mental mind would be like now if I was forced to fight such a wonderful nation.”

Luna only smiled and looked at the map of Equestria and the world. “A wonderful nation indeed, and one as thou said, worth fighting for, in less words then thee but still a nation worth fighting for.”

She turned and started for the door. “Come, Nightstar and thou must be hungry and I insist thou join us for a banquet tonight under our night sky.” She smiled as she sensed the magic activating and the clip clop of hooves on the stone floor. She smiled and hide the slight tears from the fight and what her sister had planned. She shook her head and made a small laugh to hide the emotion. “Let’s see how well you can fly in the dark.”





Nightstar stared up at the sky from the courtyard as he saw Luna’s First milling about in the courtyard and then back at the sky and Luna hovering there with slow beats of her wings and she looked down at him. “Come on, I know thou can see in the night. So let’s do a few maneuvers.”

Nightstar slowly looked around and with a snap of his leathery wings and a downward beat and a jump from his hooves, he found himself in the air and suddenly Princess General Luna, took off towards a cloud bank. Nightstar was dumbstruck but he heard some noise and saw the guards scrambling to move and he felt suddenly threatened by the guards and he quickly took off as he pushed to gain speed after the Princess, the thought he had blown from his mind that he liked the idea of Luna being a General. He found that the cloud back seemed to be moving towards him on a wind that he was fighting.

He heard some shouting behind him and he gulped and promptly pushed his speed even more. When suddenly he found that he had shot right into a cloud and found himself sticking out on both ends. He saw that the cloud wall he hit was hollow on the inside and there sitting at a cloud table with some night guards around the edge of the room, who were all looking at him and he could only smile a little with a slightly worried look.

He felt something tingly at his hoofs and looked down to see that Luna had taken hold of his hooves in her magic and tugged at him, and with a pop he landed in a rather ungraceful heap on the cloud floor. Here he heard some laughter from the guards, which quickly stopped as Nightstar unfolded himself and got back on his four hooves. “I can see now why, our meeting location.” he replied as to his being needed to be in his pony form.

“Of course, now come sit, and dine. Let us start with some Moon wine.” She replied as he gave her a look. “The non-alcoholic type of course.” She sighed as he walked to the table. “That is one thing I miss from the old days, wine at every meal, or Mead, or,” She trailed off with a small laugh.  “Still sit and dine.” She looked up at the open sky that shone through what Nightstar and William both thought of as a Cup. There were sitting in a cup shaped cloud. He moved to a cloud chair and sat down in it sinking a little into the fluff as he was given a small goblet of the vintage. “I thought we would start with a nice lettuce appetizer, followed by a nice pumpkin cream chowder, with a Griffon Sea Trout as your world would call it for the main course, finished by a Moon Pie, you might call it a cream like pie and not those treats your mind thinks of as Moon Pies.” She chuckled a little. “A Light Dinner but I rather go lightly as we must speak of the coming Campaign, and it would be best not to get too stuffed that we cannot think properly.”

Nightstar slowly nodded his head as he realized Luna looked a little different and then the light glistened off her fangs and he blinked with a look of surprise.

Luna chuckled a little. “Helps with the fish. Which is actually part of a Thestral diet more than most ponies think.”

She moved and clapped her hooves together. “Come, let the first course start.” She looked to Nightstar and looked up suddenly along with others in the room, and this time William realized he could feel it and he looked up and stared in awe at the shooting stars that rained down the atmosphere looking beautiful, but then he remembered what Luna had just said in the General office and those stars looked deadly, and brought dread to his body.

Luna sighed after the shower finished. “Twenty… they have a foothold in the badlands it seems, yet we won’t be ready till after Hearth Warming Eve.” She shook her head, “We’ll be fighting an entrenched enemy, but we should do fine.” She looked back at William who was disguised as a Thestral. “Nightstar,” She looked around the room and sighed. “William,” It seemed weird to him that he was being addressed as William in his pony form.

“William, I thank thee for giving thine support to Equestria, know that no matter what happens, the Lunar Guard nor I will ever forget what you have done and have agreed to have done.” 

William nodded his head. “I thank you for helping me, and taking a more dangerous route.” He held up a wing. “IT would have been far more easier to have encased me in stone, or killed me with the Nightmare then to have done what thou hast done.” he turned to face the salad as it was placed in front of him. “I will do my utmost, and, depending on what happens, I leave my resting place in your authority Princess General Luna of Equestria and the Lunar Guards.” He took a deep breath. “Though you know where I would like to have my resting place.”

Luna nodded, this was not something she expected now, but felt more at ease that her human, she shook her head mentally to clear that term out of her head. That William was mentally preparing for the war, and giving reality to a fact neither she nor he wanted to think, that he would remain in Equestria and never return home. “I shall make it so.” She muttered softly. “And if you fall I shall tell your nation of the great hero that they lost, never knowing you were a hero till after you vanished.”

William only nodded his head with a small grim smile. “Just, compensate my family for their lost please.”

Luna nodded, “As much as I do with those who fall under my command.” She replied. She blinked back a tear and looked at the food. “Come let us talk of happier things and finish the meal, then we can speak more of this subject.”

William only nodded his head. “Very well, I shall request a Lunar attorney for crafting my Will then, after dinner.”

Luna looked to one of the guards and nodded to him who only nodded back. “Done.” She finished. “Now, come, eat and tell me what your taste buds tell you.”

William only nodded his head once more and took a fork by his wing, marveling at how dexterous ponies were, even Thestrals, then he looked over and blinked in shock as he saw Luna eating like, well a pony without silverware. William seemed conflicted he had been one to eat food with utensils, even his pizza’s he ate, but with a gulp he slowly copied Luna’s actions. 

Luna upon seeing this smiled and lifted her head. “It is traditional to eat the salad as thus, at least in company of I, a harken back to olden days when we did not have such fine tools as forks, knives, or spoons for everyday use.”

William smiled at that thought, here he was, eating like the old nobles of over a thousand years ago. The nobles of today would be scandalized if they ever had to eat like this outside of Luna’s presence and he smiled before returning to eat like, well, like a pony in the grasslands of home. He blinked and fought a small bout of tears. He shook his head, he was here and staying here to fight for his family, his nation and he sure as heck won’t let these Nightmares get anywhere close to North Korea of Iran. He suddenly found a hoof on his shoulder and looked up to see Princess Luna with a piece of shredded carrot hanging from her chin.

“Do not eat so fast or with such anger… it is rather poor for the digestive.” She replied with a slight chuckle before moving back to her chair and the rest of her salad.

“Sorry,” William muttered as he looked back down at the plate. “I just, was worried about what would happen if the Nightmares were able to control two of our world’s nations… they are a bit unstable, and lead by… leaders who the world would not know they were Nightmares till it was too late.”

Luna only nodded her head as she lifted her head up and nodded in understanding. “I agree, a noble worry to have but please, try not to let it affect your eating. Or you will have gas.” She returned to eating with an amused smirk as William stared stunned that Luna had just, he shook his own equine head and returned to eating.

The salad was soon finished and the plates taken away and here William saw a soup spoon, designed rather differently than what he was use to, but found that with some help from Luna’s coaching that it was made for a Thestral’s wing, as well as to hold soup without it slipping off, mainly a deeper bowl and a more curved handle, it was rather nice, and this time the soup was eaten in silence. He really enjoyed it he realized with a nice smile. It also reminded him a receipt his aunt would make, and it caused a little bit more twinge but he was able to handle it better. Soon Luna and he were using a small bread pieces to wipe up the soup. He didn’t care if it was or was not good ettigue to or not do, he wanted to finish every last drop of the soup or chowder.

As the bowls were removed he looked up and smiled at the sky and the stars as they twinkled in the night sky. “The light from my cities can cloud and block out the lesser stars but here, in a world like yours, the stars are so pure and clean, and I can, is that part of the Galaxy’s arm that I see above us?”

The Thestrals around him gasped and seemed to murmur amongst themselves while Luna only smiled and chuckled as the Trout was brought out for the main part of the meal. “Yes, that is part of our Galaxy, most ponies think that I control all the stars around us.” She sighed and looked to the sky. “No, I only control smaller stars that are about the size of Canterlot Mountain that are above the sky. I form shapes as a means of communicating to my troops back when Sombra was a minor Noble who had visions of power and hunger for control.” She smirked a little. “I must say that you are able to surprise my guards, you see that comment while not discouraged if felt like a secret in my troops and here you are, bringing knowledge from your world that would surprise even Twilight Sparkle.” She sighed and looked at the plate. “As well as my sister, who seemed to have forgotten that the stars would dance and move under my control.” She smiled a little. “Just because we are in a galaxy’s arm, does not mean I am without my paints, from the gases of old,” She smiled and took a small amount of fish on a fork and put it into her mouth chewing a little before continuing. “I have been able to control gasses and leftovers from when this system formed by the shaping and guiding hoof of my parents.” She smiled softly. “Some of the best presents they ever gave me was the means and knowledge to craft my own small stars and paint the night sky. I, I look forward to getting my sky back, which will be long and hard, My orders I just put out tonight will cause a fit and no less then sixty letters of complaints of me messing with the night sky when it is I who gave them the sky they look at, unchanging those thousand years, well I say Nay to them, it is my sky and my domain,” She stopped and blushed where William could see. “My apologies William, but that is a, how do you say it? A soap box?”

William nodded his head. “Or a High Horse.” he paused and only smiled at the snort Luna gave of laughter at the term.

“High Horse indeed, come, come eat, you listen to me speak is not good for the meal or the chefs pride.” William only smiled and joined in mimicking Luna’s eating habits, taking sip of a glass of Lunar Wine that just seemed to never empty.

He actually found that he could actually slowly decide what the drink reminded him of, a cross of a slight hard parmesan cheese, and white grape juice, a scent that reminded him of nutmeg and finally a texture of smooth silky water. He found that he liked the taste and drink a lot, and was happy it was not going to make him tippy.

Finally the desert came and went and to his taste buds it was to, he would never be able to taste cheesecake or cream pies again without comparing it to this meal’s dessert. He smiled a little more as he looked up and saw the moon slowly making her appearance over their heads as he just relaxed from the meal, and he sighed and seemed to melt a little in relaxation in the cloud char.

Luna looked up at the sky and back at William. “You love the night sky don’t you?” She asked as she seemed to move her cloud chair to be next to William, closer than before.

“Yeah, I guess because to me, to a race that has actually landed many men upon our own natural satellite that we call a Moon, we see the night sky and wonder what is beyond, what is out there.” He smiled a little. “Humanity in a way, we for years until even the late eighteen hundreds were explorers, and now… the exploration is taken by more committed folks that can travel to places normal folks like I or my family would never get to go.” He paused and laughed as if laughing at a joke he just said. “What am I saying? If I am to travel outside of my nation, in a way even if it is there, I personally never visited that far off location, and yet I can board a plane, travel for a day, and then step foot into the lands that I have read about and be in a sense, an explorer.” He however lapsed into silence. “If we do make contact. My name will appear in every newspaper, every language, and most likely be reserved a spot in Arlington as the first human, the first man in ancient terms to have traveled to another world.” he looked down. “How, would history view this moment? A conquest? A friend helping a friend who did not know they were friends? A mistake and close each other off from one another?” he closed his eyes and smiled sadly. “But that is the future, and the past is the past and cannot be undone, the only concern I should have is the present, and to make sure that from actions now, the future is a good one.”

Luna only nodded unseen by William as she looked to a guard. “It is as your mind has taken as a motto for why a nation should have a military, and those officers become as smart as they can and want. A Nation who separates their thinkers from their military will have their fighting done by cowards and their thinking done by fools.”

William made a grunt of affirmative. “Yes, Also a soldier is there to guard against enemies of a nation.” he shook his head. “You’ve been in my head, you know the oath an officer of my nation takes.”

“To protect your constitution from all enemies foreign and domestic.” She paused and finally chuckled. “So that is your plan on standing before your nations government. As a Civilian who holds those words as a sacred oath that you willingly took, you fought an enemy of the Constitution and all it stood for.”

William smiled a little. “It helps as a balm against all that I have had to give to you and your sister in everything. From my silence to others about my worlds as much as I can, to agreeing to being a rank I am not. I am doing this for my nation's defense and if they don’t like it and wish for me to serve time. I will happily accept it knowing that lives and people are safe and will never see what I saw in my mind that first night in Equestria.”

Luna nodded and William was surprised with he was folded up in a wing hug by the Princess. “If they do that, then they will have to fight through my armies and me to take you from Equestria…  if no one else will accept your sacrifice then I shall.”

William blinked and shook his head and opened his mouth as if to refute or argue but sighed and closed it, he did not feel like arguing with Luna tonight about what he was meaning, let her think what she wanted about him… it did feel nice however to know that he had a friend that would be that loyal. He chuckled a little as he remembered some friends from his hometown before he had to, leave for higher education. He sighed and looked up at both the night sky and Luna’s face as she seemed to have gotten behind him when she hugged him and she too looked upon her night sky. Both watching the beauty, while doing their best not to think of the fact that under that very same sky to the south of them, the enemy was growing in the darkness.

> The Teacher and the Student
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

	The Sun slowly rose above the horizon as the Lunar Guards were slowly going to bed, while the day shift skeleton shifts started. William looked to Luna with a yawn before looking at the drink in front of him. “So, you are saying that this will keep me awake for the rest of the day? You do realize that will have me sleeping tonight.”

Luna only smirked. “Not unless we give thee the drink at night as well. I feel that thou shouldst enjoy this last day. For it shall be a long time till you shall see the sunlight as day, and not a time to rest for the war to come.”

William took the cup and looked at Luna over the rim. “Or we all adopt to working in the daylight and attack the Nightmares during the day when they are weaker.”

Luna shook her head with laughter. “Not if they decide to do what they did last time in my head. They shall cover the badlands with shadows and clouds, killing any desert life, and slowly turning that region into a twisted nightmare of it.”

William only nodded before tipping the cup and drank the contents, to his mind and mouth it reminded him of a mixture of artificial cherry flavor, akin to the Kool-Aid one might drink when back home. Yet he blinked as the mind seemed to jerked and he was fully awake now, as if he had gotten the full amount of sleep needed and he looked at the cup. “That can become a rather scary thing, some folks may just try to abuse it.”

Luna smirked. “Oh trust us, some ponies did try to abuse it. It loses any effect after the fourth day. Then you crash and sleep for two days and you are back to square one. It is only authorized on strict control and I have ordered one drink for you at the moment and another tonight at ten.”

William nodded his head to that once more. “Makes sense, So what exactly did you have in mind for today that required me to be up all day?”

“Oh, just visiting Ponyville, and letting you explore a setting that interested you in the past.” She replied with a smiled, which was followed by a light chuckle. “Shall we go?”

William only nodded his head as he held his arm out as if to take the arm of a lady before pausing and chuckling. “Sorry, but of course, lead the way Luna.” He blinked and looked confused as Luna batted his face with her wing. “Right, out in public call you Princess Luna.” he frowned a little. “I guess you look,”

“Not yet, and don’t talk of that, that is still classified.” She replied as she looked around William’s quarters. “Now… let’s leave Nightstar to sleep, unlike humans, Thestral’s need their sleep. The sunlight also hurts their eyes.”

“Of course Princess Luna, I look forward to visiting Ponyville.” William replied while looking over the empty room. The bed was made and then he turned around before he slowly walked out of the room as Luna turned to shut the door to the empty room.  His hand moved to the side of his leg where he had his sidearm. Luna and William knew very well that the Nightmares could have dispersed, the woods were still considered dangerous and not even the Elements of Harmony were being allowed into the forest. 

So it was with a little trepidation on William’s part that he boarded Luna’s Chariot, the design was a little archaic and more, night themed. Still he held to the side of the chariot as it took to the air pulled by two of Luna’s guards and speed through the forest zig zaggin and zipping up and down as if to avoid any real means of being hit. William was very happy to be on the ground as Luna landed in front of Town Hall of Ponyville before promptly falling onto his face from how off his equal liberum was at that moment in time. He looked up as he did his best to spit out the dust from his mouth as he saw all the different ponies standing and looking at him. Luna smiled as she stepped off the chariot and used her magic to lift William back to his feet.

“My Citizen’s.” She bellowed in a loud voice, but did not use the Royal Canterlot Voice. “I come with news. We have a visitor from another world and we have taken upon us to show him what it looks like outside of Canterlot.” She smiled. “Ponyville we felt would be a place he is more use to.”

William nodded a little and smiled a little. He raised his hand a little in a small wave. “Uh, hi?” He blinked as every single pony it felt like bolted from his presence. He dropped his hands and looked down at what he was wearing. “Uh… should I have gone with the Lunar Guard camo?” He asked as he looked at the outfit that he had woken up in when he first opened his eyes in Equestria.

Luna smiled a little. “Oh give them a little time, if what is true and with what my sister showed me, they did this when one Zecora kept showing up in town. Give my little ponies time.”

William only nodded his head and looked around only to be bowled over with the only warming being the word “HANDS!” being shouted at the top of one’s lungs. William rolled a little as he felt hooves touch his hands and move them all about. Finally William was able to stop the world from spinning and he felt the weight on his body being lifted off him. 

“Lyra,” A voice called out in exasperation. “What if he did what Spike did when you first meet him? You want to have your mane burned to a crisp?”

William sat up and blinked at a Mint Green unicorn with green and white highlights in her mane, a golden Lyre was her cutie mark it seemed as well. She was currently pouting in the magic field she was currently trapped in. Luna was staring with a rather straight face at what she just saw and was continuing to see.

“You don’t have to remind me BonBon,” Lyra muttered, “He didn’t need to do that, all I wanted to do was see how dragon claws worked. As well as his thumbs.” She looked at William’s hands with fascination. “I have never seen hands like those before, usually they are covered by scales for Dragons or Fur with the minotaurs, but you… just skin, how do you keep them from breaking or hurting yourself?”

William answered more in shock at the question then any other real reason. “Callouses.” He muttered. “Work with your hands enough and you get callouses on your hands.”

Lyra only looked at William before smiling a little and waving a hoof at Luna. “Hello Princess, I hope you are not too mad at my actions it’s just I don’t get to see hands too many times and, well it is cool that there are races out there that can use their hands and have just wonderful tool use.”

Luna only smiled a little as she lowered Lyra down. “Promise not to tackle our friend? He is a Human and a guest of Equestria under my protection.”

Lyra only nodded her head with a grin. “Okay, I promise no more flying tackles.” She replied only to quickly hug William once she was free while she placed her head over his shoulders. “Oh, oh, what can you do with your hands? Can, can you scratch your face? nose?” 

William blinked and found that he did just that, he scratched the side of his nose before moving to scratch the back of his head. “Well, yeah, we use them to write, hold tools, weapons, talk,” He smiled as he moved and snapped his fingers a little. “Also that.” he held up a hand. “Before you ask, my species name is called Human.”

Lyra only stared wide eyed before looking to Luna, “I appoint myself the Ponyville director of human affairs.”

BonBon sighed and walked forward. “Like how you are the Director of Dragon and Minotaur affairs as well?” She just placed a hoof to her face as Lyra only giggled.

“Well, duh, If I claim the title first, then I won’t have to run against anyone and the Mayor knows not to question my logic, besides I don’t ask her for a paycheck it is just what I do on the side.”

Matthew smiled a little. “So, volunteer work, what do you do for a living?” He asked only to jump at hearing the sound of a pop like a firecracker and there in a gold aura of magic, was the same instrument that was her cutie mark. A Lyre was there and she strummed a few cords before grinning. “I do this on the street corners or as I am walking, helps me to think and ponies like to give me bits if they like the music so, why not I ask myself.” She grinned as she looked around at Luna and the guards who had relaxed from the first outburst from her. “Oh wow… Cool shades ponies.” She looked to Luna, “So, helps to keep their night sight?”

Luna blinked and looked to BonBon before slowly nodding her head before seeing Lyra smiling and suddenly waving to another Pony, Luna turned and found herself face to face with a bouncing Pinkie Pie.

“Oh wow, wow, you meet the human,” Pinkie Pie cried with joy, “I mean, He was part of that top secret stuff I had to go on back in Canterlot and… oh cool.” She turned to Luna with a smile. “Got no time, need to throw a welcome to Ponyville and hope you like what you see party before you all head on back to the Castle and plan all that super duper protection stuff you need. Bye General.”

Luna and William looked at each other. “Did she just call you? But how?”

Lyra shrugged, “Don’t ask me, but the Mayor pretty much gives Pinkie any information about meetings, she seems to know they are about to happen before anypony else.”

William only nodded and sighed. “Pinkie will be an absolute nightmare for intelligence of any nation. Still, I think a tour would be nice.” He replied as he looked to Lyra. “Princess Luna, would it be alright if we take Miss Lyra on her offer of a tour as being in charge of human relations?”

Luna only smirked. “I see no problem in that, however she will need to not be dragging you around any more, or pouncing on you. Other than that we are fine with the deal.”

Lyra only nodded her head. “Right, I think a stop at the Town Hall, Golden Oak Library, then some of the shops around town and then a trot out to Sweet Apple Acres before ending right in Sugar Cube Corner.” She looked to the two with a smile and the other two nodded their heads. “Alright, first stop is right behind you, Town Hall, which is actually the third building to have been built in that spot.” Lyra began, “Frankly, we have a slight problem of homes or buildings being destroyed, let’s see, the Parasprite ate the first Town Hall, which was built after a dragon sneezed six years bfore and burned that building down, then came a slight problem that allowed Applejack to go off and work to earn money to rebuild it a second time, and well the third time was when Discord attacked and turned it upside down. Thankfully after a slight fire back when it first was built with the Apple Famly just started we have had back up copies of documents stored there,” She pointed to the Town Hall, “In a vault to the north at the base of a mountain that a dragon went to sleep at the peak, then the final part is new, an entire underground vault that was build under where part of Ponyville needed to rebuild after Discord.” She rambled as she walked to the doors.

“Lyra, Mayor Mare told you you cannot enter the Town Hall without permission you interrupted two court cases and three meetings as you led Iron Will around when he visited.”

Lyra pouted before sighing, “Alright, moving to the next location, the library, where Twilight Sparkle is the librarian, personal student to Princess Celestia,” Lyra continued to prattle on, while Bon Bon walked up beside William.

“As to the records most of what she said is really just a conspiracy legend about old vaults and multiple back ups everywhere. Mainly in that we can always salvage the information no matter what happened with this crazy town.”

William shook his head. “even here there are conspiracy theories.” He paused as they continued to walk to the library. “Wonder what stories will be told by Lyra about the library.” He asked himself with a small shake of his head. He noticed that the ponies were slowly starting to poke their heads out to look at him. He smirked as he wondered what his family would think about this.

Needless to say, their little adventure grew a little more serious as they noticed something, three teenage dragons surrounding the Library.

“You namby pansy Ponies, give us the little dragon squirt or we will burn your home down.” The tall red dragon roared as a fist pounded on the door. “You messed with my little brother Garble, you mess with me.”

Luna’s eyes narrowed and a crack of thunder sounded as she spread her wings. “Enough. Dragons not of Royal protection you shall cease your assault upon a protected citizen or face the wrath of the Dragonslayer, the Nightmare cursed, She who plunged your kind into fearing the Pony race.”

The small group turned around at that before they began to laugh. “That is just a story, no pony can ever beat a dragon. That is just something told to us,” he trailed off as Luna teleported in front of the orange dragon a single stone piece, it looked like a chess piece with an image carved of a dragons head. “Th.. You dare steal from a dragon’s hoard their game piece?”

William looked at Luna and at the dragons. “I know the youth of a nation can be bull headed but this is ridiculous.” Luna only smirked at William’s comment.

“Stay out of this you weak minotaur, this is between one of the manby pansy princesses and us.” He looked to the other few. “Come on, let’s get her.”

Luna smiled. “Halt, I know dragon laws, and I know that I can challenge you to your game of wits. I challenge you.”

It was another dragon that just looked more like a bowl haircut with gold like hair or something. The main body was to William’s eyes more of a dark grey coloration. “Really? That old game? Please, that is just,” He sat down. “Fine. How big of a board.”

Luna only smiled, “You pick the board size, however,” She turned and smirked. “You who doesn’t like the history, you shall play against my second.” William found a wing suddenly pushing him forward a little. “Junior board size with regular rules. Since you don’t respect the traditions. I shall even provide the board, and pieces for my second.”

William looked at Luna and the dragon that reminded him of a beatles haircut. He did not get a chance to speak as the dragon smiled. “Oh, this is nice, I like this idea.” He got up and walked over to the weakling. “What’s your name Minotaur?”

“William Howard. I am a human, not a Minotaur.” Only to purse his lips at the laughter from the dragon.

“Yeah right, We all know a Minotaur when we see one, and you match it.” The Dragon sat down, “Well sit down and let’s get this game started.” William sighed and sat down on the ground and found a small, he blinked and realized that as this dragon was setting up the pieces with a smirk. He was going to play chess, only the pieces looked different.

He looked at his side, as it was already set up. The Pawns all looked like thestrals on his side, on the other side were what looked like blue versions of Spike, the King it seemed was the spitting image of the dragon while his king was, he blinked and an eye twitched it was his Thestral form standing on a pedestal, he noticed that the bishops on his side were airships on a pillar, his two knights were cannons and where the rook should be were, well they were the image of the elements of harmony. Finally the Queen he found was a tiny version of Luna.

William found that suddenly the other dragon moved one of two two giant flying dragons and smirked at William. William looked at the board and gulped he did not know any rules and, he paused as Luna spoke aloud, but in English, meaning only William could understand him. “Only one move per turn, but all troops can move if you can defend your move verbally.” Luna only smiled and looked at the two boards, her board was much larger and had a lot more different pieces then William’s board.

William looked at the Airship and smirked as he moved forward and turned it sideways. “Well, as you can see, I have gunports, I shot cannistars.”

“Dragons cannot feel that, you wasted,” The dragon interrupted with a smirked and moved a clawed hand to make his move.

“I was not finished.” William shouted back, “I shot canisters that creates a fog bank.” It was William who smirked back as the Dragon growled, which William took as a victory in that move.  He smiled and watched as his opponent moved his other winged red dragon into the field. William only smiled a little as he then moved his cannon and thought a little. “So, as it seems we can defend our moves I think we can attack as well.” He looked down at the board and then lay down flat on the ground and looked at the chess board level before he smiled. “I can fire the cannon that I had moved forward. With magic cannonballs, damage to your front line, if anything, it will remove your first troop in front of my cannon.”

The Dragon blinked and looked at William. “Do you think that can hurt a dragon?”

“Well, seeing how magic cannonballs are well, magic. Then I could say that it could do anything from turn the area into any real things, from sleep to changing forms to changing colors, whatever the result, it would remove them from the fight.”

“Ah, realistic, instead of trying to destroy us. You try to remove us at least from the fight, I can accept that.” he moved one of the small blue Dragons in front. “You took first blood.” The words caused pause from Luna who was facing Gables older brother, and two of his cohorts. The three dragons seemed confused and Luna only smirked. It also appeared that only movement had happened on the larger board.

It was here that the three dragons looked at each other and promptly moved a piece each from their side and placed it in front of the opponent's front lines to defend. Luna only smirked. “Under laws, I can now move three pieces of my own forces to defend William’s lines, and I give him full control of those pieces.” She took three more massive airships. “These ships are loaded with only magic cannonballs.” With that she placed them in front of William’s pawns.

It was the Dragon’s turn now. “I, the Great master Yorick the Green shall destroy the massive airships. I attack with flame breath from the massive red dragon.” he pointed to his flying piece.

Matthew looked and gulped as he looked before making a move. “I sacrifice two of my pawns to protect my airship.” He removed the two pawns behind the airship, or was about to only to have one of the dragons next to Gable’s big brother shake his head.

“Foul, foul, you cannot do that, you get a target you either talk your way out, or, no one sacrifices your pieces to protect others.” They looked all to Luna. “We ask your ruling you challenged and you have the most senior pieces.”

Luna looked at the group. “A commander knows when to defend, he also,” She gently picked the pieces of the two thestrals up. “Knows what the bigger picture is.” She looked to William. “These two shall belong to you as permanent pieces in any future game played against dragons.”

William just looked at his board and then at Luna’s. “If I understand the game, it feels like I am,” he paused as the dragons began to laugh.

“Oh, scared of breaking a rule? When we mean those three rules, that is it, this is a visual representation of a verbal sparring that the Dragon Elite like.” Once more Luna bristled at the attitude towards the game. “So, go on ahead, your turn.”

William nodded his head and looked at the group. “I wish to debate something, if I fire with these larger airships, they will be unable to move for three turns, Is that acceptable?” He got nods of the head of his opponent. “Now I know you have thought of a way to protect your large pieces from magical attacks, but, what about this?” He moved to point his fingers. “I know certain powers can become itchy when exposed with other items. So, the reason behind my airships not moving is I fire the large compliment of weapons from these two large ships, with cannonballs wiped in the oil from Poison Joke on all weapons fired to hit your dragon.”

They all looked once more as they looked at each other. “Wea, but no one is crazy enough to touch that stuff, it would harm you as much as,” They looked at the Human, as they found connections firing as they thought of means to fight a little. Luna while composed was inwardly smiling, and happy that this human was in her care and under her protection. The horrors that mind might come up with under an evil influence, would be unthinkable.

William broke the silence with a question. “Did it work? Would it work?” And all he got for the answer was to see the removal of one of the big scary dragons.

As they played their game right in the middle of the grounds in front of the Golden Oak Library, they started to gather a crowd of just not Lyra but also Bonbon, and others. William was focused on the game and so was not knowing that from a balcony the Elements of Harmony were watching, Spike was watching from a window, and above their heads two phoenix's and a baby phoenix were watching as well.

The watched as the score was still roughly even, and then came Luna’s voice. “You can still move your own forces.” William blinked and noticed that indeed one could see the difference in coloration of the pieces. He smiled and moved another cannon.

“Poison Joke cannonball to your front lines again. I target the pawns.” Another of the Dragon pawns were removed. Then came the three other dragons looking between the two boards and moved their own pieces on the smaller board getting in range of doing some damage.

Luna smiled and with a quick move and word play that William did not listen to as he watched his board and wondered how to take care of this problem, an idea forming in his head, the problem is that the fog bank was still in effect, as neither side were wanting, he didn’t smile as he realized what might or could happen. Still he blinked as he heard a sudden growl from the dragon on the end as he looked and found Luna’s right flank suddenly looking rather scary as it threatened a bit of that dragons forces.

He returned his gaze as it went to Yorick the Green who glared at his group of friends. “I want full control of the pieces on my board.”

What he got was three negatives as he returned to glaring at his side of the board. William had a thought that he lost a move he wanted to do. He finally moved defensively with his other dragon only to sigh and looked at William.

William looked at the board and back up at the Dragons side. “I Move my small airship to be next to the bigger airship and use these two to attack you with my Poison Joke weapons.” He looked at the board. “Against your large dragon’s belly. Tell me, with the poison joke, and your friend on your left piece behind. would it, what would happen?”

“Gah, no, no, no. I Grapple the Bold, defender of my brother Gable’s honor will not allow more honeyed words from two, the Namby Pamby Princess can get that, but not you, you do not have the ranks to do that.”

“Very well, then the big red dragon is sent back due to the Poison Joke. As agreed upon based on the last move.”

Yorick only glared and removed his piece, and sure enough, Grapple used the freed up space, at the expense of his ally to try and charge in to attack. “I attack your front line, with my speed of the racer dragon class, I can take out two of your forces.”

“Nope,” William replied. “You just raced into a cloud fog bank, your visibility is low and almost none existant you only ram into a wall of dirt that had been built up by the pieces who did not move.” He smiled a little. “if the board is to represent terran, then I can do that, that is something I would have done myself if staying put. With so many pawns, you are captured alive while dazed I would think, or you can flee and lose honor and shame and leave the game board.” William was seeing honor was a big deal for Grapple, one that he wanted all to himself.

“I, but, fog wouldn’t last, it cannot last, It should be gone.” Grapple argued back.

“Maybe, but neither Yorick or I discussed the time limit and well, do you want the fog bank removed?” William turned to ask Yorick, who only grinned.

 “Nope, and he said captured, you lose your little racing demon piece to him.” It seemed that Yorick was not being to his friend, to William it looked like it was a bit of a rivalry.

Grapple smirked and huffed a little. “No matter, I shall win the game and he will not get to keep the piece.” He looked and turned back to Luna with a smirk. “Like to make a wager with your little hairless weakling? IF we win, he has to work for us.”

Luna only smiled. “Very well, but if he beats any of you. They pledge loyalty to him and are willing to be taught by him.” She looked at Grabble. “Are you willing to lose your pose for showing how, superior your mind is?”

Grapple growled and glared at Luna. “No words can defeat me. I accept your challenge, even if the structure changes, you shall lose, just as all ponies do when fighting dragons.”

Luna smiled. “So be it, I believe we have an outside dragon watching and the elements of harmony as well.”

“bah, elements of harmony, just fancy jewelry that will end up in one of the elite dragons hoard some day.” Grapple just ignored the rather scared gasps from the crowd, where as William finally noticed the large increase of onlookers, he returned again and did his best to clear his mind. It was just like when he carried the State flag in the last basketball game of the College season. He focused a little.

Grapple smirked. “We all took turns, so I say it is the future servant of Dragons to go again.” He turned back to the board against Luna. “If I beat you, I get that tiny crown on your head.”

Luna only smirked. “I doubt you will get to beat me.” She replied as William made his move and pulled forward the airship he moved from the start. 

William then moved a finger to point at the piece he had moved. “This tiny one will attack your front lines again.” He smiled as he looked at the three large airships. “With the full broadside, I attack with the middle one against Mr. Blue winged dragon.”

The blue winged dragon blinked and frowned and spoke for the first time in the entire game. “I am a girl, thank you very much, and I pull my piece back to my side before you can waste your shot.” the now revealed female dragon took her piece, a dragon with a gold crown on his head and placed it in front of her in an attack position against Luna who was fully threatening her side. “Also, just to let you know, names Sapphire.” 

“William.” William returned with a look at his board. The only piece left of the dragon’s support, was now two pieces from the orange colored Dragon between Yorick and Grapple. “Tyrant Orange reinforces with a flyer.” He placed a dragon bigger than any of the pieces of Yorick, and yet smaller than the two red dragons at the start of the game. “I attack with flames upon your small ship.”

William smiled and placed the two Thestrals he had removed. “The Crew abandons ship and get out of the mayhem. I regain two pieces.” Once more the three dragons looked at him and at Luna. “Really? No one hears about training crews to abandon a sinking ship? With a flying ship would it not stand that since my forces are more of, well all thestrals I would have them crewing my ships?”

Sapphire actually smiled. “A good and valid point, one that I hope none of the other three would like to argue on that.” She looked at William and back to the board. “If I manage to hold out and you are able to capture just one of my pieces, I would like to learn just where you come up with these strange ideas.”

William nodded his head. “Very well, if I lose and I am forced to join your group. I shall teach you still as one who wishes to better even those above him.”

Grapple snorted. “Fine Sapphire, if I win you can be the main keeper of his safety.” He shook his head. “I only want to make the princess pay for her words and take her ally away, and then I can use the new mind to get back at the soiler of my brother’s pride.”

Yorick only smirked, “Well I will want to defeat him, you’d have to give me a kiss on the check in exchange for the Minotaur.” Looked to Sapphire with a smirk. 

All she did was smirk in return. “Is that all, I can agree to that.”

William looked to Luna. “It appears part of the game is using words to create alliances and also fake out the opponents, I will call on your help if you wish.”

Luna smiled and placed a Gryphon with black tips. “To use against the Flyers that Tyrant the Orange sent your way.” She looked back. “I used my turn. You may attack when ready.” William could not watch Luna’s defense as he had to turn back as he saw Yorick attack with some of his smaller blue Spike dragon pieces. “I attack your ground forces that fled the airship.”

“I use the Black tip Gryphon soldier.” William replied and placed the piece to the side of the two Thestral pieces he had place where their airship had once been, only to blink at the drop of the dragon pawn as he looked at him.

“You, you are using them? Those damned by Nightmare Moon?” Yorick asked. “What are you thinking? You’ll bring Nightmare Moon here to blacken all our scales.”

William looked down at his pieces and looked to Luna, before looking right at Yorick. “I dare. You call me a Minotaur, yet I am not one, my race has fought beings and used many of a background. I do not care what your past is, what your ancestors might have done to mark your own present, I use those that will be willing to fight.” He looked right at Yorick. “Just for me bringing in a black tip, your fear will show and I say your attack on my troops fail. If not outright cause the attacker to run away.”

Yorick looked to Grapple but it was Luna who spoke. “As the vessel that once housed Nightmare Moon, I shall allow this fear tactic, for this turn, any piece that dares to attack the Gryphon will fail and either surrender and be considered captured, or run away.”

Yorick blinked and handed over a pawn to William. “Fine you get a prisoner.” He looked to the board. “I just wish I had not attacked before you placed your gift from the Princess.” He had William noticed not called her the same way Grapple was calling her. Still he looked down at the board. “Fine, I shall now moved and use my large airship to attack the Tyrant’s forces as they appear to be very close together.”

“I pull back.” Tyrant yelled as he pulled the two forces back. “I call and say he cannot attack because they flee at the sight of the black tip and move to defend my position.” William looked and saw that in the time that Yorick and he had taken to take a few turns, the others had already gone what looked to be four turns ahead of them and now it was Tyrant who was in trouble, William realized what was happening. Luna was pinching Grapple, making Grapple appear strong and yet not yet seeing the trap that William could see now.

He turned back and smiled. “I have forces now to still attack, the big airship will not move and bring all weapons to bear upon your front lines, two pawns gone?”

Yorick blinked and nodded his head. “Yeah, you got two in mind?” William smiled and pointed to the ones in front of the piece that looked like Yorick and the female dragon piece next to Yorick’s piece looked like a hand carved piece. Yorick actually smiled. “To far of an arch, I can say I will remove the piece here.” He pulled off the piece in front of the spot for the queen in chess. William smiled and spoke when the piece had been removed, “As for my regular airship, I move here.” he moved the airship as it had a clear line of shot of the pawn in front of Yorick’s kind. “As for my Black tip.” he moved and promptly landed it on the castle piece. Which looked like a miniature square castle wall with a tower in the middle. Yorick shook his head. “Too far for even a Gryphon to fly in a turn,” He didn’t finish as William placed him over the Spike Pawn. “Yeah, you could do that, you want capture or run away?”

“Your honor in tact, I capture.” William replied as he looked down at the pieces not seeing the look of relief on Yorick’s dragonic muzzle as he handed the piece to William.

“A good move.” Yorick replied as he looked at his set. “Using the limited time of fear to create a very good position, but tell me, can you protect such a far flung piece?” He asked with a smirk. “I use the castle defenses to attack your Gryphon, with intend on removing him from battle and future battles.”

William looked at the board. “You can wound him, but he falls back to be healed. He will not fight again in his match.” he moved to pick up the piece quickly. “As you can see there's a gap between our two boards you cannot count on your allies to stop his retreat of the side of the board.”

Yorick just seemed to growl and looked to Tyrant. “Well, go hunt him down.”

“No, I want to get back at this princess for getting my prized attack piece.” William smiled, these dragons were wanting petty revenge and were looking out for their own honor and lives, not working together as a cohesive unit. He looked to his own forces. He had a few more moves to go.
HOwever it was Tyrant who shocked both and placed a piece, a large dragon in the middle, but also cutting off any advancements from his ally as he made his move. “I will do this, I plan to wreak revenge for even thinking on using such boogeyman tactics.”

Yorick just looked and seemed to look at him with wide eyes. “Think, think where you put your piece, you are trapping me from moving and protecting my own scales, your re.” he did not finish as Tyrant snapped his jaws together.

“IF you fall for me to get my revenge a useful sacrifice, you’d still be in the posse, just a lower rank.” Tyrant smirked a little. “It is time for you to know that you are here to keep Grapple from facing the ire of your clan elder.”

Tyrant returned and smiled. “Come and defeat me, you cannot resist the big juicy target.”

William once more surprised the dragon by not doing a dragon move, he moved his big airship three spaced diagonally and smiled. “I fire poison joke at the pieces behind the big dragon, now, do you protect your friend and cause your dragon to return to your side where I am sure you have pieces to cure poison joke? Or let his lines take more hits?” William did not see Yorick’s face as he spoke to Tyrant, not realizing he had given mercy to him and shown an out for Tyrant to keep a piece in play.

William did not show his emotions as Tyrant began to laugh as he shook his head. “No way am I helping the weakest dragon in our group. Go on ahead.” William nodded his head, not sure even why he was going this way. 

“Right, my final move for attack is my last small airship to moved here, and attack the king piece, What is your choice now Yorick?”

“I pledge my forces to the better of the foes and to show my commitment, I use all my pieces to clear off your big piece Tyrant. I remove my pieces from the board, but you lose your big dragon as a prisoner of not me, but him.” He pointed to William. “How is that for revenge?” he asked as he started to pack up his pieces as he kept the giant dragon on the board, William did not know what to do next.

It was not till Yorick finished that he smiled. “You can take the piece off the board.” He looked to the others. “Seeing how you are all putting pieces into our board, I see no reason to bar him from joining the fight.”

William smiled at that and looked at the group. “Can I move after Luna?” he asked just as she picked up a piece. The dragons only smiled and laughed showing they still did not see him as a threat. 

William saw Luna as she smiled as she placed a piece down, it was another of her large airships. “I use a sleep powder shell and attack the castle.” She replied as she use magic to denote that castle, it was the same on the edge that was Tyrants piece.

She then moved another piece and smiled. “I capture based on earlier rulings your little Dragon magician.” She spoke to Sapphire. As for my move against Grapple, I give William the giant airship that is facing Sapphire’s troops.”

Grapple only laughed, or was laughing as it died as William moved lightening fast.

“I capture the sleeping castle with my Thestral crew of the small airship, landing the ship and grounding it.”

he removed the airship and touched the castle design, it was walled but had a large building in the middle and not the one tower as with Yorick. “As for my giant airship, I move to the edge of the new board and fire poison joke at your king piece.”

He noticed that Tyrant had small body winged dragons it seemed, he quickly took a pawn that was next to his king off. “I have this pawn take the hit and my king is still protected as a defensive move.”

William nodded his head and turned to looked at the Airship he got. “I use in tandem some of the deck guns which as we all know are on airships.” he got nods of the heads of the dragons. “I fire netting from those deck guns and snare your last giant dragon piece Miss Sapphire.” he blinked as she smirked and handed the piece to him.

“I do say, that of all the games I have played, I am learning a lot.” She looked to Grapple, “Seems you are going to lose your first prize when you battled my brother.” She looked to Princess Luna. “If you beat me, I still wish to learn from this creature, He has weaponized a meniche, he has shown valor in the moves not taken by those we fight, and frankly, using little details against us.”

Grapple just seemed to be steaming. But it was Tyrant who tried to attack, and all he did was succeed in taking out his own castle, in his rage he verbally declared him razing the castle to the ground. William was grim as he could not think of a way to pull out the crew of the small airship and so he nodded his head sadly. It was Grapple who went next and attacked with another of the racer dragons upon Luna’s lines. Luna removed a piece. “tactical retreat.” William looked at Luna, surely she was going to, he paused and saw that small glint in her eye that he could read. She was doing this on purpose. She was deliberately holding back, and he smiled as he looked back to his own pieces, goading the dragons in trying to show them her full powers of tactics, and it seemed that as he looked again on the map, that Sapphire had caught on, if she fell, he realized that an entire side of the board would open up upon Grapple.

Sapphire here only finally moved in a defensive move. She was drawing in her troops, but, she just left him, William smiled as he quickly focused on the site and found nothing that could go wrong in his mind.

Still he returned back to the map and moved the second large airship from the middle of the small board, or was about to when Tyrant growled and spun the map around. “Just, I want this over now, I want to destroy you, so your small enclave is attached.”

William only smiled and placed the airship now in the front in the middle of the two armies and pointed to one of his stronger pieces that did not have any pawns around it. He didn’t even speak as Tyrant removed the piece and shot William a glare. “I, How do you combat Poison Joke?” He growled at William.

William shrugged before moving up another piece, from his loaned set this time. “I use magic cannonballs to remove your pawns closest to me. Or rather pawn.” He amended as he did not want to go too far. Another piece was removed. “Now, as for Sapphire’s troops, you have built a nice defense, However,” he pointed to a line and traced from the new ship he had to the main ruling piece, which was a blue dragon curled around upon a piece that looked like ice, with a little tiara on her head. “You have this opened. I move forward and use my nets,” he didn’t speak as Sapphire raise a clawed hand.

“I have my queen captured, and having shown your worth, you may command either each piece or allow me to command the rest of my pieces still on the board.”

William shook his head. “No, Take your rest and regain your strength. I do not wish you to lose your troops.” He looked at Grapple. Only for Sapphire to grin.

“Oh I then will attack where I can,” She moved her pieces and pawn canceled pawn out as Grapple and Sapphire dropped into a language WIlliam did not understand, it was full dragonic, yet Luna to William’s eyes could understand and finally, Grapple saw his castle and a good chunk of his pawns were gone. 

Sapphire only smiled and slowly handed William her piece. “Keep it safe, it shows you are in charge of my forces.” She smiled and sat back and looked at Grapple. “I told you attacking Spike would be a bad idea, he has more allies than you ever did, how many challenged you to battle in chess to get out of your planes? Didn’t you just verbally let them off the hook If they did not pull out the game?”

“Shut up.” Tyrant replied as he found that he was not in a very good position, so he started to move his pieces, William blinked in shock as small pockets moved back to surrounded Tyrants own leader. William almost blurted out, about the rules he was told at the start only for Luna to hush him with a wing.

“Advanced rules, you get to move larger numbers, due to more experience, and a larger board, makes things faster.” She smiled as Grapple then moved, pulled back and trying to wall off the sudden moves. Still when it came around to Luna’s turns she only smiled and moved her pieces against Tyrant and the entire time talking Dragonic to him as she and he removed pieces from the board.

It was then her turn around Grapple and like she did to Tyrant, she finally revealed her mastermind of battle as she took out the rest of Grapple’s pawns and left both groups open to attack.

William moved next, and with a smile he moved his Airship against Grapple. OR rather had two airships move. “I use my net guns to attack your center.” Grapple only smiled as he moved a dragon that was brown and was holding a boulder in a clawed hand in front of his leader and took it off the board. William looked at the airship he had been given from Luna. “I use my Poison Joke.” Grapple looked and smiled softly as he placed his dragon leader, a Red dragon wearing a gold crown, standing on a pile of jewels and holding a scepter, he moved that piece to another piece. William only smiled. “Castle Defense, fine, I can allow that.”

he turned to Tyrant who glared and William returned the glare. “Okay, I attack with poison joke airship still in my board, and the cannon I just moved up now.” he moved the Cannon into what was called range. “I attack with magical cannonballs.”

Tyrant only growled and looked to Grapple. “You might want to invoke the retreat rule now.”

Grapple only shook his head as his eyes glowed red. “No, Never, I will not run, you cannot run, I will show you all that I am the best one, that I will have my revenge.” He moved the third of his peices into attack Luna who only refuted any and all claims, leaving him three pieces in the end. The Castle, his leader, and a Dragon who to William’s surprise was wearing a green pope hat.

Luna smiled and looked at Grapple. “I do not attack.”

Grapple looked at Luna before looking at William. His eyes burning hatred at him. “I will rend you where you stand if you finish that move. I will not stand for being defeated by an unknown weakling without claws, horn or even a means to defend..” he paused as William finally lost it and would later regret doing what he did.

He pulled out his pistol and pointed it right at Grapple’s chest. “I do dare, I finish what I started, I use my poison joke net combo as before upon your last piece, and surround your castle with my troops. Now, surrender, you tied two pieces together, you lost.”

Grapple looked at him. “Oh? And what are you going to do with that.” Grapple asked as he stood up and looked like he was going to attack, he got his answer as William only fired once, Grapple grunted and looked down and back up before laughing. “You only dented my scales, is that the worst you can do?”

“I have bigger ones. I assure you, I am not afraid of you.” WIlliam replied. “You want to risk me breaking a scale?” He asked before Grapple, gulped and finally sunk to sit back down on the ground only glared at the ground.

Luna smiled. “As we agreed, you are adjuncts to William. Who is a military commander on loan from his nation.” She stood up from the battle. “Congratulations, you just lost into learning how to be better at the game you lost.” She smiled a little at the expressions on the three dragons, Sapphire she noticed was more happy at the thought, Yorick was appearing to be pleased at the thought, Tyrant seemed bored, and Grapple, turned around and growled.

“NO, I am going to attack and burn that.” He did not finish as he became soot covered as two Phoenix’s roasted him, he coughed and fell to his knees as he looked up at the six ponies as two of them appeared to be ready for anything. He then saw Spike on the balcony with a little baby Phoenix on his head. “You…”

“I told you he has allies, including some Phoenix's, you wish to fully engage with them? or accept your fate?”

Grapple growled. “This is not over, I will see to that.” He stood up as Luna smiled. 

“Come along,” She paused and whistled as six Threastals appeared out of nowhere. “Crescent Dawn regiment, please take Mr. Grapple back for orientation, As well as any of the other dragons back to the castle, I think it is time that I explain fully just what game WIlliam just played.”

William only smiled and sighed. “Please do explain, as it felt like I was playing a game for my life.” He paused as the small thither that Luna hide behind a hoof. “Oh great, that just sounds great.”

“What? thou doest not trust us?” Luna asked with a smirk as the walked to the door which was already being opened with Twilight just standing there looking on in wide eyes. “Because We trust thee to succeed. Thou hast been blessed by us by wearing yon armor of my own crafting. Thou hast then been blessed by the luck of the moon, and today, the moon of luck was full. Thou were ready and fought.” She smiled as she nodded to Twilight as William and now Sapphire walked into the main room of the Library, she turned around and smiled fully. “Magic is much more real thou must remember.”

William looked at her and nodded his head. “Fine.” He looked around and paused as Luna looked at Twilight before looking back at William.

“Would you and Spike be willing to make some tea? I am sure you would love to learn how to make a nice Equestrian blend.”

William looked at Spike who was walking down as he looked up at the Phoenix. “Well, might as well show me what to do, and, nice fire bird.”

Spike only smiled. “Thanks, it seemed Pee Wee decided to come visit and good thing too, those dragons scared me, so, what happened?”

Sapphire only smiled and winked to Luna, “Let me tell you while we all make some food, I might be able to cook a nice gem snack for you.” She smiled and walked past Spike and into the kitchen, Spike blinked before racing after her.

“Hey, my kitchen I don’t want you messing up my stuff.” William looked a little like a lost puppy back at Luna before sighing and looked to the cieling as if to say ‘why not’ and entered the kitchen.

“Luck Magic?” Twilight replied with a raised brow, only for Luna to raise a wing.

“Please Twilight, student of my sister, but I had to say something to placate William’s mind, a fib like that will make him trust in his own self more, but be willing to take risks more often, what was I to say, that he outwitted four dragons because what would be a common war tactic is almost unheard of?” She sighed and looked to the window. “Let him think that Equestria and Earth are similar,” She smiled, “Discord likes him, and look at why, he shall cause chaos upon the world just be making war against the Nightmares.” She looked happy suddenly. “But we have learned much, and the Nightmares are still in the dark. I hope the war is short, but, I shall be ready if it turns into Europe.”

“Europe?” Twilight asked in a very strange manner as she tried the strange word on her tongue.

“Something I gathered from William’s mind,” She looked at the doorway with a smile. “I must admit to thee as the wielder of the element holder of Magic, that I wish I was banished to his world instead of my moon.” She looked at her hooves. “The start was rough, from Sombra, to my own fall was the the only battles, we had Discord, and Tirek as well who came to destroy and conquer us.”

“Who?” Twilight asked with a confusion.

“A being I hope you shall never have to meet Twilight Sparkle.” Luna replied with a looked at the doorway and turned to a window where she saw the eyes and heads of many of the ponies who were staring in wide eye. “Surely you live in a library, and it is open, why does none come inside?”

“Scared of you I would think.” William replied as he came back in with a tray of food. “I mean, if the President of the United States decided to stop into my small town unannouced it would bring onlookers, and the protestors.”

Luna shook her head. “Still, they must not fear us, we stand as a guardian against the tide of darkness, surely your world would respect,” She paused as William shook his head.

“I had my arm broken by one who said he would love it if I was never born if it meant the bomb was never invented,” He shivered. “I never told you the full story there.” he touched his arm with fear and remembered pain. “I struck him only after he threatened to make a repeat of a Campus riot.” he looked at Luna. “He threatened to attack, deface, and burn an ROTC building down, the symbol of our military on campus down because he declared that anyone who wore a uniform was too dumb to be in college.” William sat down. “I served two weeks in jail, while he was sentenced for two years on assault, and conspiring to destroying government Property. His family drove me out of my home state and I was finishing my college work in another state.” He looked back at the window.

Luna blinked before a slow anger burned. “How dare they,” She however took pause as she realized her anger was not where she thought at first, it was not at the actions taken by those against William’s love, but against William himself. She felt anger at hearing William being forced from his home, from his family. “Does your family visit?”

“Every year, and we usually go down to Williamsburg or up to DC.” He smiled at the confused look of Twilight. “Williamsburg is a city that is a living museum from the era of our founding of my nation, the time before and leading up and during the entire Revolutionary War, it is to show us how we lived over two hundred years ago. As for DC, that is the shorthand for what  is our nations equivalent to Canterlot. I have seen the White House, home to the President, Lincoln Memorial and,” he paused and laughed again, “Sorry i forget that not all ponies did what Luna did and you have no clue what I am talking about.” He looked down and smiled as he realized he was still holding the tray of food, he quickly moved to a table and set it down, just as Sapphire came out carrying a tea pot, and Spike walking out holding a tray of tea cups.

The conversation paused here as they had the tea poured and they sat down around the table, and Spike finally sighed as he moved and turned the sign to closed. Only after he and twilight failed to invite the others into the library.

Luna waited for the crowd to disperse and looked at William. “Now, let me explain, the Dragon Chess was very serious, you see Dragons cannot harm one another very much and they had found out, that a game as random and chaotic as what we played escaped Discord’s touch. Still, dragons are territorial and they found that games like that would work on some of their greed attacks. So it became an almost law and tradition that Dragons will hold themselves to the game, so if a dragon beats another dragon in that game it would be the same as winning in a physical battle. The Badlands were actually formed by a squabble between two dragons right before Discord’s rise to taking the throne.”

Luna grimiched. “Those were dark times. However once we won, and I took the night, many dragons sought me out to fight me, to try and gain favor and clot in Equestria, they soon found that I was becoming an apt warrior in their game, and in defending Equestria, so instead of giving up on gems, they gave up something that would prove much more valuable, training.” She looked at William. “Like you who have had done things that were done from triggers, I too earned a name, A dragon actually threatened my guards upon defeat, he gave my closest friend a reason to wear an eye patch before I acted. I slew him in minutes, and that is where I earned that title, It was there that my word in a game became as binding as a Dragon Elder.” She smiled a little as if remembering one funny thing. “His son tore one of his own scales from his tail to act as the eye patch. It was usually frowned upon to wear even a scale of another creature, yet as compensation, it was agreed he would only wear the scale of a dragon to cover the scar left by a dragon.” She sighed. “As for what I have done, I have called you my second, in dragon terms thou art being groomed to become one of my ambassadors upon dragons. That I have as much trust in your abilities as my own.” She smiled. “A phrase that I gave without thinking yet, one that I do not regret. I shall teach thee, come next year, we shall win.”

William nodded and turned around and blinked. “Wait, oh right, weather manipulation,” he smiled as the shock was wearing off. He just smiled at the now white flakes falling outside. “Wow, first snowfall I have seen in Equestria.” He sighed and looked back at Luna. “How, how long till Hearth Warming Eve?”

“Ah,” twilight spoke with joy, “You know about that, that is in four weeks.” She looked at Luna. “You think…” She smiled a little wider. “That he can see the play?”

Luna laughed a little. “As for seeing it? I would say he should watch it with the entire royal family and Element holders this year.” She paused and looked at Spike who was holding a letter. “Is that from my Sister?”

“Oh, no,” Spike replied waving a clawed hand. “it is a invite to Sugar Cube Corner from Pinkie Pie stating that she wants to throw a non surprise surprise Birthday party for our friend, as well as a welcome to Ponyville for a visit party.”

“How did she know my birthday was missed?” William asked only to cause Twilight to laugh aloud as Sapphire looked confused.

“Pinkie Pie knows anything it seems, just don’t question it, or you will have anvils falling on your head.” Twilight replies as she rubbed a hoof over her head at some memory.

“Ouch.” Sapphire replied with a small snort laugh into her tea cup.

“Indeed,” Twilight replied. “Never question Pinkie Pie.” She finished before taking another sip of her tea.

> Meanwhile Back on Earth
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Earth, North American Continent, United States of America, Washington DC Police Station, October 25, 2012

Agent Green of the FBI’s missing person section quickly got out of his car after parking in the front of the DC Police station to gather information about this unique missing person. In fact he was the head of a small special section. Cold Cases or those of people who would just vanish. Most times their branch had found them, halfway around the world or in some other place of the world having vanished while on vacation. Still the information he had received was concerning to him. If it was true then he may be very well facing the first documented eyewitness alien abduction. He walked into the main doors and walked up to the front desk where he showed his badge, and papers to prove that he was here on official business.

“Right, interrogation room one, and don’t believe a word he is yelling, we already asked the Navy for divers to search the Potomac for the body.” The Officer behind the desk grumbled. “Man’s raving mad, must be some new drug on the street, been going at it for almost twelve hours.”

Agent Green only look at the name plate and the rank on the shoulders of the officer before putting his badge away. “I will keep that in mind Sergeant Higgins.” He smiled before speaking again. “I need to check in my firearm,” he replied and was slide a piece of paper where he signed it and then surrendered his firearm to Sergeant Higgins. He then turned to a single door that was reinforced with a single window in the middle, from that door another Officer stepped out and held it open for the FBI agent. He walked to the door and nodded his thanks to the officer before following the officer to one of the room. Without saying anything the officer opened the door and let the agent into the room before closing it behind him. The petty gang member was currently wearing an orange short sleeve jumper with tattoos traveling up and down his arms. “Mr. Turnbull, I am Agent Green with the FBI, I understand you witnessed something strange causing the disappearance of a United States citizen.”

“Yeah right,” Came the gruff rebuttal, “You just saying that so you can lock me up in a padded room, you all say we did our deed and dumped the body. The police have his information that I took from him. But I saw what I saw, he just vanished into black dust and flew up to the moon it looked like.” Agent Green placed the accent almost instantly as a rather normal Brooklyn accent.

Green moved and sat down at the table. “So, you are saying that he just vaporized?” he raised an eyebrow you could see above his sunglasses. “I will request to see these items you turned in.” he told Mr. Turnbull. “As for what you saw, can you elaborate?”

“What? You believe me?” He asked with a snort and his body shook a little from the forced laugh snort.

“More akin to taking the information around me, and seeing what fits. Sherlock Holmes stated, that once eliminated...”

“What remains no matter how improbable, is the answer.” Mr. Turnbull replied before smirking. “What, even us gang members like to read the classics and it helps us in trying to cover o..” he paused and glared. “Nice try getting how things work inside the gang.”

Agent Green didn’t smile but he did decide to go a different tract. “Why the cooperation with the police and even I in this, don’t you want to hide that you did someone in?”

“Look, We didn’t kill him. He just stared at us, that sweet fear in his eyes before he suddenly clutched his heart and screamed as black smoke rose and that started to take his form. When I say dark smoke type dust. I mean it. It seemed to glitter, as one of our members whose mind got burned on acid, he said it glittered like stardust and I am not kidding when it flew up to the moon, I don’t know what happened but it just put the hairs on the back of my neck on end.” He shivered, “The poor man I thought had lost it with insane laughter yet what scared us the most and made me the scapegoat to turn myself and the evidence in was that the laughter was in the air, pressing in on us…” He leaned over the table, his next words chillingly sober. “...and not a single one of us was laughing.” He looked at the Agent. “Just what or where can one hear laughter when all mouths are shut tight?”

Agent Green only nodded his head as he took notes on his small handheld electronic device, he looked up again and smiled. “I think we may be willing to transfer you to a place that would be more willing to listen to your words.” He had typed in the information and had said this right before his screen turned red and everything locked out. A second later a small window popped up with a text.

where are you? It read. Then more words started to appear. Bring in Mr. Turnbull for question and report to the Marines who shall be picking you up. Congratulations Mr. Green, you are about to enter the Rabbit Hole.

Agent Green only smiled. “Seems that whatever you have been telling me has gotten the interest of not just the FBI but the military as well, I think I can safely say that you are being taken very seriously.”

He blinked as both Mr. Turnbull and Agent Green heard a knock on the door and a Police Officer came in with a few clear plastic bags. “Agent Green, we just were ordered to turn over any evidence concerning last night’s killing slash missing person report.” The Officer sighed as he looked at the thug. “Seems that you are getting a nice change of scenery I hope it is into a psych ward for that Mumbo Jumbo you were sprouting.” The Officer smiled and placed the bag upon the table. It showed a wallet, a set of keys, and one large metal coin. Each item was in its own separate baggy.

Agent Green looked down and noticed the name on the bag. “William Jefferson Howard.” he read out the name. “Well, thank you.” he got up as he saw two Marines dressed in their dress uniforms they scanned the room before moving back out of the room. What or Whom came in next made Agent Green actually wonder just what rabbit hole he stepped into. Two agents with black sunglasses, ear pieces, and little pins on the lapel that identified them with the Secret Service looked around and nodded to the two. The one on the left spoke. “Mr. Turnbull, once you have been released from the chair you currently are sitting in, you shall be transported to the Marine Barracks for holding, while enroute, you shall be reminded of your rights as a US Citizen and briefed on why it is you are being held at a Military installation.” the Agent actually smiled a little. “Trust me, it is nothing that your past has marked you for, it is rather the incident from last night.” The Agent then turned to Agent Green. “You shall be placed into a black SUV and driven to an emergency Meeting with President Erickson.” The Agent placed a finger to his ear. “They are also requesting you keep ahold of anything that you might have recovered from Mr. Turnbull.”

Agent Green only nodded and picked up the items on the table as two more agents moved to take care of Mr. Turnbull. He quickly gathered up the evidence bags and left the interrogation room behind Mr. Turnbull who was remaining silent as one of the Agents spoke to him telling him his rights, as well as reciting the fifth amendment of the Bill of Rights.  This strange group of folks left the station after Agent Green retook his firearm and while one group got into one SUV, the other group the one that Agent Green was in got in an identical looking vehicle. They both started up and left the Police Station parking lot as Agent Green saw an FBI Pickup team arrived to drive the company car back to the garages at Headquarters.

The Drive to the White House was short, and thankfully without incident, the SUV that drove Mr. Turnbull left the group quickly and then they were at the entrance to the White House, the driver lowered his window, presented his badge, spoke to the guy. Agent Green deliberately tuned them out so as not to present a security risk for later. It was surprising when he was addressed from the outside. The way he reacted was more of a startled yes and wha? Which seemed to be the response they wanted as they drove through the checkpoint. 

After getting out of the SUV in the garage and another checkpoint, Agent Green was escorted through some hallways and found himself very suddenly in the Oval Office with the doors being closed and one other fact. He was the only one there in the room. Gulping Agent Green slowly moved to one of the couches in the room and sat down as he took the evidence bags out of his pockets and placed them on the coffee table in the middle of the room. It was here that a side door opened and the President walked out, his daughter pushed by a Marine and behind the Marine.

Agent Green stood quickly and with wide eyes as he saw a rather, he was not sure what to think as a Robin eggshell blue pony with a horn sticking from its forehead and a mane the color of straw. He just stared as he heard, was the President’s daughter and the Unicorn, his mind was really trying not to believe that moment. Still he was finding it hard to deny that the two were carrying on in a conversation. Then behind the Unicorn in a tailored suit was the President’s son as he stood next to a Secret Agent.

Mr. Green only sat down again unable to say a word. He blinked as he realized that the President was actually laughing. “Looks like Bright Light owes me a pancake.” He smiled as, Agent Green shut his eyes, President Erickson’s daughter was translating it.

“He says he is okay with that Daddy.” She smiled a little and when Agent Green opened his eyes she waved to him. “Hello Agent Green, I am Susan and I am the US Translator for the Kingdom of Equestria’s temporary diplomat.”

“Diplomat?” Agent Green muttered. “No offense but the diplomat looks a little small to be one.” He paused as the Presidential Family and the two Marines and Unicorn looked at each other with smirks.

“Well yeah,” came the President’s son’s voice, which Agent Green could not remember. “He’s just a child like Sussy is, but, he is all we have so defacto, he is the diplomat.”

President Erickson nodded his head. “Right I already had a quick background check done on the name of the missing person that was turned to black starlight.” Was it him or did the President look worried suddenly. “So far, we have not found anything too worrisome, the worst that happened we could find was an altercation between him and a militant peacenik.” Agent Green was actually surprised to hear that coming from the President. “Only assaulted the man after suffering a broken arm, and hearing a threat to burn down a ROTC building on his campus.” The President was handed a folder and he raised an eyebrow. “Fled to William and Mary College due to pressure from the extended family of the man who broke his arm, and has not returned since two thousand and nine.” he looked at his agents. “I want this quiet but I want you to see if you can put a little pressure on the local police to find out more about this family.” He moved and with the folder sat down behind the desk. “Appears he was two semesters away from getting a Masters in History.” he smiled, “Volunteered at Williamsburg in the summer, which turned into a paid job after two months.” he looked up at Agent Green. “I want you to fly out to Fort Howard Museum to interview his step grandfather, grandmother and any family who might be living there. Also talk to the folks in the nearby town. Fort Arnold, they should be able to tell us the character of Mr. Howard as he grew up.”

Agent Green blinked as he raised an Eyebrow. “How are you so sure the town would know Mr. Howard?” he looked at the others feeling like he had a good question but also feeling very out of his depth on just asking the President a question.

“Because Fort Howard, the Museum is in the middle of the Eastern Colorado plains and the town nearby is a small one, mostly ranching. Also piece of advice, about ninety percent of the town is either in the National Guard or retired.” He looked down at the paper. “To give you one leg up, the Museum was a B-17 staging ground during World War Two. As well as a training for the bombers and some infantry, the Museum was started after the base was closed during Vietnam.” President Erickson smiled. “My Father was trained at that base and flew in Europe in a B-17, was shot down and spent the last of the war as a POW in Germany.” The President smiled before he shut the folder. “Congratulation Agent Green you are now in what is going to be the biggest shake up to the World’s Political scene since we dropped the bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki. First Contact with an Alien species.”

One of the Agents looked at his watch as if keeping track of something for later in the day. “Just a heads up, you are thirty minutes away from announcing this to the world. Also we just had word that like requested the owner of that news website, Eq.. Equestria something just arrived and is sitting in the Rose Garden with the other members of the Press.

Agent Green just paused. “You, you're going to announce this? Today? But, but didn’t this just happen last night?” He blinked as the son laughed at him and he turned to rebuke him only to have him speak.

“You think we can keep a Pony, that can do magic, cooped up in the White House? The staff will find out, they will eventually leak out. What better way to leak it then the President himself giving the information.”

President Erickson smiled wondering when his son had gotten that tidbit of wisdom. “Yes, what Robert said is correct, the sooner the better, and if we do it sooner, the more that first Bright Light as he says his name is, the more protection he will receive, the better we can use movements to observe how the world will react.” He looked to Bright Light. “I am sorry to say but you might end up speaking to all the world leaders soon,” he paused and looked at Sussan, “That means a day off school, but I expect you to make up the missed day.”

“Of Course Daddy.” She smiled as she looked at Agent Green. “Would you like to take a seat in the back and watch the news broadcast?” She smiled and turned to the Marine behind her. “Garth, that is okay right?”

The Marine only nodded his head to the delight of Susan who clapped her hands and turned to face Agent Green and smiled even more when Agent Green nodded his head. “Oh goody, more people to know the secrets.” She replied with joy.

White House Rose Garden. Noon Washington DC Time, 
October 25, 2012

The members of the press were all sitting in chairs in front of the iconic doors with the podium with the seal of the President of the United States attached to the front. While they were sitting they were not still and were chatting back and forth. In the back of the group sitting a little off to the side was one reporter who was a little nervous. In fact he was a little shocked that he had been woken up in the middle of the night before with three agents from the Secret Service, with a notice of recommendation from Seth. He looked down at the badge in wonderment. In protecting his name, as well as perpreputaing the fandom names, he saw the name, Ink Well. He shook his head, he had asked to join the EQD as a Con Reporter and was told Seth would think about it. Instead he got his answer by that knock and was now sitting in the Rose Garden. He looked up and wondered just what Seth was thinking. A better question was why did the White House suddenly want a Pony news site for what had been a relatively unknown event. Heck it only was on for three seasons with the season finale on the horizon and the fandom in an uproar over what might be a Twilight Alicorn. To be here with a small video and tape recorder. He shrugged, no matter what it was going to be was still an humbling experience, he had a sneaking thought that whatever happened, Sweetie Bot was going to get this to Seth before he did. He chuckled at that as he found someone sitting next to him.

He looked over and blinked before looked back at the podium, that was before he took a double take, it was a CNN badge but was that, did he catch a Twilight Sticker on the back of the badge. He blinked and while he looked back to the podium he learned over a little. “The Night shall last forever.”

The reporter from CNN turned and looked before slowly smiling a little. “What fun is there in making sense?” She only smiled as she looked back at the podium before she turned and looked more at the badge. “Okay, Discord is real, what are you doing here? Don’t you just follow the fandom stuff?”

“Yeah, no clue how I got an invite but I thought I would use it today.” Ink Well replied with a slight chuckle, it was then that one of the Secretaries for the President walked up to the Podium.

“Mic Check,” he began and smiled, “Testing testing one two three,” He looked down at the notes. “Presidential order for mic check, Look To the Stars above and Unite the world.” He paused and blinked before sighing. “Robert was here.”

This caused some chuckles from the Press while the CNN reporter smiled as she leaned in. “Usually Robert sneaks in a quick joke here and there before the cameras roll. Last time it was a G.I. Joe reference, today appears to be a Pokemon reference.”

Ink Well only nodded his head in hearing that. “Makes sense I hope.” The rest of the lawn fell silent as President Erickson slowly walked up to the podium. He cleared his throat and smiled to the audience.

“Welcome to the Rose Garden and I can say that for once the DC weather is being nice for us.” He smiled a little bit. “I hope that with what we have to tell not just you members of the press but the world is a good omen that it is sunny and happy.” He looked to a doorway that had the drapes drawn before continuing. “Now, usually we have a long winded speech prepared, but at the moment I really don’t have anything to say that can prepare for what is going and is currently happening.” He smiled a little. “Yesterday as I prepared to read my children a bedtime story, a, ball of light appeared in the White House and, my daughter became the first US Citizen to make First Contact with an alien race.”

The President took a drink of water as the lawn was utterly silent. “Now that may be hard to believe, trust me, I woke up this morning thinking it was a dream, still, Susan will now translate questions you may have.”

The Press here began to mill and speak amongst themselves before the lawn turn utterly silent. For behind Susan as she wheeled herself to the steps with a Marine behind her for protection. Trotted, stepped, walked like an equine. Was a being that A few members of the press were actually staring and blinking. Ink Well muttered and rubbed his eyes to make sure he was not seeing things, yep there was a Unicorn, small one at that standing next to the wheelchair as he? or was he a she? Still the Unicorn slowly looked at the Press with worry.

Susan smiled as it was a few hands suddenly shot up. She looked to her father who smiled. “I will call on members of the Press, but please address them either Ms. Erickson or Susan.” He pointed to the back row. “Yes Janet from CNN?”

Janet smiled and looked a little nervous. “Uh, can you perform magic or do you call it something else? I also have a follow up question if needed.”

To all present the little Unicorn smiled and turned to the podium and with a visible aura picked up a glass from underneath it and took a drink from the glass before setting it down on the ground next to it.

Susan only smiled, “What is the follow up Question?”



The Unicorn only smiled and spoke, spoke an actual alien language. The recording equipment many of the Press were looking at wondering who could they get as experts to study the tapes, they were wondering that even as Susan responded in a short response in the language, then another string of words from the Unicorn. It was Ink Well who wondered how many other of the press were realizing this was to prove she could speak the language. She smiled and turned to look at Janet.



The Press amazingly seized on the one word spoke, the Unicorn was a he, and it was again more hands raising up into the air. The President only smiled as he pointed to another hand. “Hank from Fox News.”

Hank stood up in a suit and looked at his pad of paper before looking up. “Ms. Susan, does our first contact know about the show My Little Pony?” He asked. “I only ask as I have a daughter who watches the show and she most likely will be overjoyed with this knowledge.”

Once more, only this time was much longer dialog before Susan returned. “He has seen most of Season one, and the start of Season Two, or started to, I had to stop the playback as he hide under the bed due to memories from the changeling invasion.”

Ink Well just stared in shock. The Royal Wedding happened? He looked around and saw others as well, in fact he was shocked by what was asked by Hank.

“Are, are you okay with humanity with what you have seen? Are we worse than the Changelings?” Ink Well blinked and wondered if Hank was really asking for his daughter or because he had liked the show? He wondered even as the dialog occurred more, it was frustrating that he could understand it, but then again another race, another language. He almost laughed as he realized that many headcanons were being ruined by reality right at that moment.

Susan looked right at Hank. “He is fine with it, he actually likes how the show shows the strengths of Equestria, and focuses on the present and not some of the past events in history.” She looked at the Unicorn who was shaking his head. “That is all he is willing to say at the moment.”

Hank only nodded as he sat down. The President smiled and pointed to another member of the Press. “Gary of MSNBC.”

Gary stood and nodded his head. “Two Questions if you do not mind. How many intelligent races are there on your world? Also, do you have a name?” He sat down and waited for the information.

Susan translated once more and came what sounded like a list of names. Susan smiled and spoke up. “He answered in reverse order, so his name is Bright Light.” She paused, “As for the intelligent races, there are Earth Ponies, Pegasi, Unicorns, Thestrals, Minotaurs, Dragons, Griffins, Donkeys, and Changelings.” Susan took a breath. “Their might be more but he cannot remember at the moment.”

The President smiled and while hands went up, he only looked to the back and smiled even wider. “I think I will ask if the representative from Equestria Daily has any questions for our friend.”

Ink Well gulped and stood up as he looked right at the front of the podium. “I, I have one. What is Equestria’s plans with Earth now that First contact has been established?” He gulped and remained standing while Susan spoke back and forth before turning back.

“Nothing, you see, it was a magical mishap in Canterlot, and he was sent here, meaning he is the only one here, just a child like me, and scared. There will for the moment no further contact, no further reports, nor relief. That also means no speaking in front of the United Nations. While being treated as a diplomat as he thanks my father for that status, he fears that he might upset the Princesses, and he is scared of Princess Luna.”

There were a few light chuckles, which however underlayed another problem or question. What were they to do if, maybe this was a test to see how they treated their own kind? Ink Well shook the thought from his mind, Trollestia might do that, but he doubt it would be.

Susan chuckled, “Any more questions?”

“Oh, uh, you ever meet the Mane Six?” he quickly amended the question, “ I mean to say, did you ever meet Twilight Sparkle or the other Elements of Harmony holders?” The question was translated, an answer given and then retranslated into English.

“Did you meet any of your generals in person? Or anyone famous in politics Before today?” The question made a few more of the Press to laugh in a show of them laughing with the answer and not at the question. The silence was the answer.

Susan waited a little longer before continuing. “While he would like to meet heroes of Equestria, he has not meet them, he has seen them in stained glass while taking a tour of Canterlot castle after the invasion.” Ink Well only smiled and sat down slowly. His head spinning as he realized he had just seen and been part of first contact of the press, and, he paused as he realized that a few other members of the Press were looking at him. One older gentleman raised a hand.

“Lary from the Washington Post.” President Erickson called out. Larry only stood being a slightly overweight man in a suit and tie. He adjusted the tie as he cleared his throat.

“I know we are all wanting to ask about politics and the geopolitical situations in your country.” He chuckled a little. “But I think we can speak and say we are putting those off to the side for the moment so as not to scare you too much.” He cleared his throat again. “As for my question, I am wondering if you have any favorite foods from your home?”

The conversation back and forth occurred and it was here that a few trained ears were starting to pick up a few words, amongst the reporters at that moment they could maybe understand five words among the jabber. They being: The, and, I, and you.

“Well,” Susan began and found another glass magiced over to her by Bright Light which once more memorized the entire audience this made Bright Light chuckle before getting an odd expression that would later prove to be his mischievous face. He began to move the glass around and caused it to make circles figure eights, and then he did a new trick, the glass vanished and  then the glass landed on the grass with a pop, the glass was also empty. A second later the water from the glass fell on the head of a Marine. The Marine did not move or say a word as the ice water splashed on him. Bright Light only smiled and laughed at the faces of the Press and make a comment that caused a surprised reaction, a slight bap on the head with Susan’s hand. “First of all, I did that to show it was impolite to call the Press a bunch of cats going after a moving red dot.” She turned around and looked at the Marine. “Sorry,” her voice showed shame and she bowed her head. This action erased the fall out of her bapping the head of an alien. She turned back to Larry and began to speak directly at him. “As for the question, he likes Carrots, Celery, Corn, Brussel Sprouts, Broccoli, Cabbage, and Icecream with chocolate cake with white frosting and sugar coated strawberry slices.” In just one sentence, the populations of the first world, parents found it rather, easy to get their kids to eat their greens. After all if an alien eats it, maybe eating it isn’t so bad after all. The trick parents soon realized was learning to cook it just right.

The President only smiled and nodded his head before he looked to an older lady in the audience. “Ms. McGraw from the New York Times.” 

Ms. McGraw stood up wearing a business blazer and pants. She was the modern image of a working women in business. “Yes, I have a question, I mean this is all fascinating, but surely the laws of the universe are just so, that for you to arrive here. Wouldn’t something else have replaced you in your world?” She was grinning a little. “Like another little child, who surely wants to be back with his mommy and daddy? Would you like the world to join together and build a way to go back home?”

The reaction that happened was one that many did not expect, but one that Ms. McGraw had hoped for. The little colt sniffed and promptly turned and bolted away, a moment later Susan was turning around only to have a Marine step up behind her and began pushing her as they quickly made their exit.

Ms. McGraw like a viper turned to the President. “President Erickson, why are you letting your daughter take on such heavy burdens, surely you have others who can learn his language and why force him here. They are children, don’t you like children? Surely you have had a hard time raising them, and running the nation since your wife died last year.”

President Erickson stepped up and only placed his hands on the podium. “The Conference is over. Ms. McGraw if you ever pull something like that again, I will ask that your paper send someone else, I can take all the slings and arrows on how you feel that I should not be President because of my children, but you leave them and their friends out of your campaign. Is that clear?”

Ms. McGraw only nodded her head not showing any emotions. “We will see Mr. President, a father comes first or maybe the DC Protective agency should find them better homes with parents who are home.”

The President only glared before turning around and walking away, before stopping and talking to one of his aids who came up next to him. He turned and began to walk out more towards the private garden area of the White House.

Ink Well was getting up and turning around only to see two Secret Service members walking up to him. “Mr. Ink Well, the President is wondering if you would like to be the first to hold a Interview with a citizen of Equestria.” Ink Well looked and smiled. “Only if I can have Janet hold the camera from CNN for us to film it. If they agree not to air it until we do upon EQD.”

The two men placed a hand to their ear and then nodded. “We believe that is acceptable.” With those words the group of three humans followed into what was at the moment an enclave of solitude, and as Ink Well walked around the corner he heard it before seeing it. Crying. He blinked as he saw the President, Susan, and Bright Light huddled close with the two at the moment powerful people on the planet, one for being President of the United States, the other as the only link to communicating with an alien race.

Ink Well was about to turn around when he felt and saw two more secret service members. The same one that spoke before spoke again. “Mr. Ink Well, Mr. Bright Light requested to do his first interview with EQD or Equestria Daily as it would be most friendly and respectful of any of the news media.”

Ink Well paused and looked at the group and wondered if what started as just a place to gather pony news as Seth said, would become something bigger. He gulped and then sneezed before looking up as the others turned to look at him. “Well,” he began, “Maybe we can hold off on the interview and just chat a little, what is the phrase for small talk?”

The phrases once more went back and forth and Susan only smiled. “Grazing the Grass.” She smiled a little more as she found it a little funny thinking about that phrase.

Ink Well only nodded his head. “Then, shall we graze the grass a little?” He smiled as the President only motioned for a seat and found that Bright Light was already talking as he did so.





Meanwhile in a off limits hallway in the White House the Marine who had been splashed by water was more relieved that he did not even flinch from the event. He paused and finally began to chuckle a little bit. At least till his Master Sergeant showed up.

“Gunnery Sergeant Fitz, I just want to say I have never been more proud of what you have done then just then. You kept your composure, and remained unmoved. I could see the Press actually hold their breath. So, what are you going to do with that trouble maker?”

“Master Sergeant, I was going to get him a glass of water and work with him so he may not make that mistake again in front of not just the American People, but the Marine Corps as well.” He did not smile, and all his Master Sergeant did was nod and turned around, giving approval of the plans that Gunnery Sergeant Fitz had made.





While the start of a small talk, or grazing the grass occurred the rest of the world was starting to stir from first the shock of an alien appearing in the White House, and second. An alien was at the White House.

In Berkely University. Three completely different protests sprung up within the hour, one demanding the release of the Alien from military and government custody, Another demanding that the Government come clean with the other UFO stories, and the third, was one that was starting to form the idea that the governments should work on conforming to the ideals that have been given as a gift for humanity to prepare for further contact with Equestria.

Within bars in San Francisco, they ranged from only shrugging before going back into yelling about the current going ons in the sports world both current and future. It also ranged to that of wondering just what kind of enlightenment they would give them. Six bars also evicted sixteen individuals with bruises who even suggested the thought of forming a defensive force in case the actual contact was not good, it was later that day reported that one man was missing after saying that same thing in a seventh bar.

Meanwhile at Westpoint it was the complete opposite, most of the staff, and students ended up gathering around maps and tables, even just in places of gathering during off times and were discussing just what might need to be done to both created a peaceful contact, but at the same time, meet with the rifle within reach in case things went south.

This sentiment was also mirrored in every military of the Earth, Except for North Korea who within the hour declared that the US would feel the wrath of North Korea for kidnapping one of the sacred Unicorns that live in their mountains. Needless to say, the rest of the world only raised a proverbial eyebrow at North Korea and just put up a few more planes and just kept their satellite cameras to keep an eye on the country.

Meanwhile all across the internet one group of people literally exploded in excitement. Anyone that might have been a closet brony online quickly broke any vows of silence and quickly was hyped over the news of just what happened. Equestria Daily’s servers actually crashed due to the flood of people trying to just even come up with an idea of just what the bronies were. Those that were already known for being a Brony were almost invaded on all sides from Messaging to Skype, to even their PM Boxes, Deviant Artist who drew Ponies were also flooded. In just four hours, a fandom that was almost looked at by weary eyes and parents pulling their children to the other side of the toy aisle were suddenly being attacked verbally to answer questions all over the place. If Discord had been present for that one moment, he would have out right smiled at what he would call spawns of Discord. It was also in some ways too much for some fans and the Fandom literally fluctuated in a manner of hours. Still in all the chaos a few fans were actually feeling meh about it or even didn’t care, they were fans but they also had jobs to finish, and to accomplish. As for the Military Bronies, they were rather quietly gathered up by their respective units and asked to create a think tank on what to do next. By the end of the first, well Day Zero, the world was shifting suddenly in a lot of events.





Agent Green only shook his head as six hours later at six at night Washington time he boarded a jumbo jet to fly from DC to Denver Colorado before spending the night and the next morning driving Eastward onto the plains of Colorado and visit and stay in Fort Arnold, named after one of the Commanders who fought in the Native American wars. Arnold Cook. He shook his head as got up as he heard his plane being called and shut off the smart phone he was using to check the news since the first contact broke, As he saw it, it was everywhere from twitter to facebook, to every news agency and newspaper. He smiled as he walked up the gangway and handed the Stewardess his ticket before boarding the plane. All his luggage was below the plane so he really had nothing to carry on with him. He quickly found his seat in the business section of the plane, a policy that had slowly been implemented among agencies under cover of darkness was to start flying out of first class if possible. After sitting down in his seat next to the window he looked at the dark skies as the sounds of passengers boarded the plane, the background noise of the AC unit running, as well as just beeps and bells going off as a kid in front of him stood on a chair and pushed the lights on and off and called the stewardess while his mother and father did their best to try and not cause too much of a scene, it brought a smile to Agent Green’s mouth as he saw an American family play. well a child playing and two parents trying to get ready to travel.

Agent Green looked to his left and into the plane as an middle aged man sat down next to him. He was looking at a special edition newspaper that had a picture from the Press Conference early with the Picture of the President, Susan, and then Bright Light standing there with smiles. Agent Green did not remember that pose when he was there so it must have been another shot taken after he had left. The middle aged man smiled as he noticed the man dressed in a suit looking at the paper. “Crazy right?” The man extended his hand. “Frank.”

Green blinked and smiled giving a name on his head. “Will,” he paused and shook his head. Why did he take the name of the kid he was back ground checking, it didn’t matter, he would have to answer to Will during the flight. He smiled a little. “As for being Crazy, I guess so.” he looked to the front as he noticed that the stewardess were getting the cabin finished for leaving. “Still, I view it more as another step forward into the great beyond and learning more about the universe around us.” Green or Will at the moment faked a frown. “If only it was in a real life spaceship with warp drives.”

Frank only laughed a little. “Yeah, that would have been fun, but still… can you believe your eyes? On live TV even, that Unicorn did all these tricks that didn’t even or wasn’t possible till today. That poor Marine, I hope the kid lives to see tomorrow.”

‘Will’ only smiled a little. “Nah, got some Marine friends, if anything the kid, I recall the name Bright Light being given. Anyway, I think they are going to rather teach more control. I think they would rather they learn about this hiccup instead of having it happen to the face of say, China’s diplomat, or Russia’s.”

Frank only nodded his head. “Yeah, while it would be fun to see that smug smile washed off Putin’s face, I agree I’d rather not have it happen as it might cause a war.” He laughed aloud at that. “Attack Bears.” he paused in the middle of his laughing. “Oh, video game reference, just, nevermind.”

Agent Green shook his head, One of his interns last summer had yammered on about this Red Alert series. Still it was amusing and he was blinking a little. “I am sorry Frank but today as you said has been crazy and I would like to take some shut eye during the flight.”

Frank only smiled. “Nah, I don’t mind. Let’s me reread a nice book I found in DC, sad my ex girlfriend threw out my original copy of the book, something about being politically outdated and promoting the fears of the past generations.” Frank muttered something more but Green did not catch it as Frank pulled out a thick book and Green only smiled. 

“I remember that book, good movie as well.” he spoke as he nestled into the chair as Frank started to read a book by Tom Clancy, The Hunt for Red October. Both of them became oblivious to the rest of the world as one slept, and another started reading a book that contained fond memories. Amazingly the rest of the flight really speed by fast and soon the plan was touching down at Denver International Airport. Where Frank and Green departed the plane, picked up luggage and Green acted like the kind friend and helped Frank with one troublesome bag that was a little large for him to pick up on his own and the two separated at the doors. 

“Nice talking with you Will.” Frank called out. “I hope you have a nice business trip.”

“Well, not the same for the business trip, but you have a safe travel home.” Green replied as he looked for his driver. “Where is home anyway?”

“Oh, Fort Arnold, I am going to surprise my mom with an early visit, Going to retake my classes when I can.” he shivered and shook his head. “Someone found a window smashed and a letter proclaiming that they killed a friend of mine. No one saw or caught the vandel but the note shook up the school a little, I just have to get home and… rally the troops and circle the wagons.”

Agent Green nodded. “I am guessing for when the folks arrive to question about your friend?” He sighed and looked Frank in the eye. “Agent Green, Federal Bureau of Investigations, Missing Person division, we have, been asked to find out about Mr. Howard’s life, I cannot say why, but this was ask by the President himself.” He pulled out his badge to show Frank.

Frank blinked and laughed a little as he blinked back emotions. “Dang. Just, I hope you understand a few folks don’t like,”

“I know, my dad served in Vietnam, don’t worry if anything I’m wanting to be on your side of any disputes… and trust me, If any of my other friends try to give you grief, I’ll try to help where I can.”

“Well, may you not need it, but if so,” He didn’t finish as Agent Green finished for him.

“You’ll believe it when you see it.” This caused a little laughter. “Anyway, I won’t be driving out that way till tomorrow, you be safe, and I am already planning one tourist activity. Visit the museum.”

“A good place to visit, I hope you have a day set aside, it is a little big, we pride ourselves in having an actual missile silo for visiting.”

Agent Green only nodded his head. “Right, good night and don’t go trying to skip town, there are questions we need answered.”





Lone Pine Motel, Sixteen hundred Mountain Daylight Time, Fort Arnold Colorado, October 26, 2012

        Agent Green paused as looked at the row of single floor rooms at the small cheap motel that was on the outskirts of the town. He shook his head at what his boss had reacted to when he sent in the name of where he was staying. He didn’t mind as it first, put him into a better position to keep an eye on the town as well as acting quickly on any leads that he might come across with this research subject.

He sighed and pulled out the small paper print out that the desk clerk had given. He already called ahead and was scheduled for a private meeting in one of the hangers of the Museum, he was meeting with William’s Stepgrandfather. Nathaniel Fredrikson, he started in his head as he walked to his car. Married Gabriel Howard two years after the death of Benjamin Howard due to complications incurred as a POW in Japan. His Mother, Hope Erickson, common immigrant in seventeen fourteen, yet unaware of the family ties to the President, Married to the Name Howard. William has three siblings. Two brothers and one sister, deceased.

He paused as he get into his car, turned the key and backed out onto the road into town, he would take the same road till he reached the guard gates of Fort Howard Military Museum. He chuckled in that they really did capitalized the words in the official name. He continued on his mind journey.  His older brother George, age thirty,  is serving as a Captain currently stationed in Iraq. he is married and has two children, a boy named Ethan age five, and a daughter named Elizabeth age three. Family story states that she was named after the ship Queen Elizabeth that ferried an uncle, who met his future bride who was a nurse on board.

He paused as he stopped at a stop sign and continued on to the next brother after moving through, having no more stop signs till the gates. The second brother Henry age twenty five, has graduated College with a degree in Business and is currently helping run the family business, a Military Museum out in Colorado. He is married and currently has one child, a daughter named Victoria age two. William is the youngest of the living family. His sister died in a flash flood and her body never recovered. Name Ruth. He pushed that information out of his head as he did not want to dwell on that at the moment.

He finally found his thoughts fully interrupted as he found the gates, and standing at the guard post was Henry in a Vietnam dress uniform with the MP armband. Agent Green slowed down to a stop and the MP looked inside the windows and then used a mirror to look under the car. Agent Green chuckled it was a quick move more to immerse any visitors into the experience than real security.

“ID please,” Heny asked, yet did he not ask to have the window rolled down. Agent Green only smiled and feeling a little like his first day as an agent he pulled out his badge and flipped it open. He smiled more while he lowered the sunglasses he was wearing at the stunned look on Henry’s face. A moment later Henry turned around and pressed a button in the sack and the gate in front of him slowly slide to the side and Agent Green was waved through the threshold. He know what he needed to stop first, building one, the visitor center combined with gift shop, from there he would meet with Colonel retired Nathaniel.

He looked at the hanger as it grew bigger and bigger into the windshield. He looked to the passenger seat where he had notes and a IPad to record the verbal words. He looked back up and the signs directing the cars to the different buildings. He paused as he thought of something. “Just how many are we going to be pulling down the bottom of this rabbit hole?” He just blinked as he parked the car and saw an older man with a cane, dressed in the uniform that he had once worn while in active duty. Agent Green got out of the car as he adjusted his sunglasses before he walked to the gentleman his hand outreached in a greeting.

Unknown Location

Two figures sat around a small round drawing room table that had in the middle a tea set with another plate that held small tea biscuits. The two figures were sitting in the plush chairs that matched with the tea table

“Now your majesty,” The distinguished looking gentleman replied with a look to the TV that was mounted to the wall. “I am concerned with the fact that the US Government has what could very well be a key in reopening the pathways.”

The older women who many would actually recognize as Queen Elizabeth the second only smiled softly. “Let the Americans have their time in the sun, if nothing else we can use them as the scout ships into uncharted waters.” She chuckled. “Besides this would give a reason to invite President Erickson for a visit, and, bring in some of the Americans.” She lifted her tea cup to her lips and sipped it a little. “Merlin, when they find the family of the poor soul that was taken to create a one time jump, I want you to compensate them as well for the lose from the Royal Coffers that you still have control over, I doubt their Congress would be parcel to having a Lord and Lady of the Realm living in America so make is a monetary with honorary citizenship passports.”

They continued to watch the muted TV that continued to show the images of Bright Light to the world. A Confused, scared colt that was wanting to be safe after a terrible ordeal. Merlin only smiled. “While I am overseas you want me to visit and talk to Sir Bright Light as well?”

Queen Elizabeth only shook her head in the negative. “Not yet, you can do so when it is the guise of an official visit. With the Americans visiting England.” She smiled a little. “Make sure that Bright Light and Ms. Susan Erickson come as well.” She smiled a little as she picked up a small electronic device and started to speak into it. “Important guests. President Erickson, the Marines that are familiar with the situation, Sir Bright Eyes, Dame Susan Erickson, and a member from the Equestrian Daily who was at today’s Press Conference.”

She pressed another button on her device and placed it down on the table. “Amazing devices,” She looked to Merlin. “Then again you invented some form of it back during the Battle of Hastings.”

Merlin only nodded his head after taking a sip. “Of course your majesty, you are correct, all technology has been doing is catching up with what it was that I could perform.” He smiled a little. “So many tiny wizards and witches and they do not even know that what they do today is literally sorcery to the mindset of the medieval ages as you so lovingly call them.”

Queen Elizabeth just looked at Merlin before sipping her tea cup before setting it down and Merlin moved to fill it up again. As he did so, she responded. “Still, what we have gathered from the time of Arthur is, starting to finally move forward.”

Merlin only nodded his head. “Of course, and all it took was to swap two living creatures into elements that will either kill them, or make them some of the most powerful future leaders of relations in this collection.” He moved to fill his tea cup as well. “Now, before you say anything your majesty, I only say that as they will be our most knowledge about each others culture having lived in it.”

Queen Elizabeth sipped her tea and set it down before speaking. “Makes sense, still that is going to play havoc over the American’s Constitution, what with the coming conflict.”

Merlin only smiled. “We could always play the Avalon card.” Merlin replied with a raised eyebrow and a smirk as he took a sip. “King Arthur will return and when he does, we either give him Wales or the Eastern Seaboard of the Americas.” He smiled as he took another sip of tea as Queen Elizabeth just stared at him.

“You wouldn’t dare, that would cause the yanks to,” She paused and ignored Merlin as she took another sip of her tea. “You did that to just get me to call them that word didn’t you?”

Merlin only chuckled lightly. “Of course your Majesty, Still, might teach a little of those upstart yanks just who will be holding the reigns of control.” He looked darkly. “I did warn George Three that he might lose his colonies if he continued down the path without even attempting to meet them halfway.”

“Still,” Queen Elizabeth replied as she waited for him to sip his own tea. “What if this Equestria gets so enamored with Americans they want to emulate their government?” The tea that got spit back into the cup only caused a smirk to form on  the Queen’s face.

“I highly doubt that. Even,” He paused and sat up a little taller as his own device chimed and he moved to pick it up where it projected some information in a rather arcane text and images. His eyes widened. “They got a two year cadet.” He muttered actually looking worried. “Assessment from our eyes in the District of Columbia says that they got a war historian.” His face fell. “Celestia’s sun I hope Princess Luna does not get involved.”

“Ah yes, this mythical princess you mention from the kingdom you came from before helping King Arthur.” Queen Elizabeth replied as she took a sip. “I take it this Princess Luna is in charge of military?” She only smiled, “Maybe now you will stop trying to cause mischiouve for the Americans, let it go, we lost the colonies for real in eighteen twelve, not even King Edward the first of Canada could hold their capital. We were beaten, and while no one won anything land wise.” She paused and looked at Merlin as if expecting him to finish the thought.

Merlin sighed looking glumly into his tea. “They won the right to be taken seriously as a nation.” He smiled a little. “At least they still hold the original portraits of their two Generals. Washington and Arnold.” Merlin it seemed took a little bit of mirf from that fact.

“Yes, still, try not to upset the American delegation too much when they arrive in the next few weeks.” She picked the device up again. “Invite King Russell of Australia as well as Peter the first of Canada to meet with the Americans.” She sat the item down and moved a hand to pick up a piece of the biscuits next to the tea pot. “Come Merlin, show me the progress that my scientists have advanced on the knowledge of what you have been having the Royal Family studying since William the Conqueror landed on the shores of England.”

“Very well your Majesty.” Here Merlin picked up his own black device and moved a hand over the screen and placed it on the table as it projected images and figures, Merlin reached out and pointed to one item. “Seems that we have located the remains of three mana batteries off the coast of Scotland, I would like to salvage them as soon as possible.” The two continued to talk as the sun moved on its course through the sky while Earth rotated around the Sun.

> The Last Party
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Luna only smiled as she looked over to William as they slowly walked out of the library and towards the bakery where Pinkie Pie had invited the Princess and the Human. She was happy that she caught the map and hide it from William’s eyesight. She was not yet ready to show the landmasses in their complete form. As they walked, Twilight was walking close to the two, but staying behind while Spike was sitting on her back and speaking a little to Sapphire. Well it was more like Sapphire was correcting a mistake in Spike’s upbringing. Teaching him how to speak Dragonic. Thus making the conversation not only difficult to follow, but it was also almost repetitive.

Whereas Twilight was looking at Luna and bowed her head. “Pardon me Princess, but, I am trying to understand, why is William able to be outside? I thought the Nightmares would hone in on him being outside the protective walls of the castle?”

Luna only smiled and spread her wings. “As long as William remains within the boundaries of the town, his uniqueness is hidden in the background of having an Alicorn Princess being here. Now what could present a problem is if their are spies in Ponyville, however such a thing we doubt. Still it is wise to have guards about which thou can not see.” Luna smiled as she folded her wings again. While she kept an eye on William as he turned his eyes and head upon the town with wonderment and smiling as Lyra kept on talking not realizing that William had zoned her out in lieu of just observing everything. Luna turned and quickly dropped the smile as she realized Twilight was looking at her. “It is wise as well to allow William time to observe and keep use of his two legs.” She finished. “Besides just look at him. So much wonderment, and,” She paused as she chuckled as William actually stopped and began to browse a stall selling trinkets and ornaments. He however paused and frowned as he came back with his hands in his pockets.

“No bits, dang, and their was this cool sun catcher that I am sure with the light of the moon, could become an moonlight catcher that had a design of a wreath of olive branches.” He smiled a little as he looked around and paused as he turned a corner and remained there in the middle of the street almost. Other ponies walking around only walked around him as they continued on their way. It seemed that after the little game and being so near Luna, the ponies were starting to get at least warm enough to at least go about daily life with the strangers in town. “Dang… it really does look like a gingerbread house.” Unaware of the fact that the said suncatcher or as he called it Mooncatcher was bought from the stall. Luna only smiled as she stepped to William’s side. 

“No bits, thou art correct, surely you will know that thin payment for helping as an advisor shall arrive on the morrow. Along with all the payments of the guard.” She gave a small smirk as she kept looking forward at the bakery. “Let us not keep the pink one waiting long.”

“Non surprise, surprise party… well I guess it is a surprise to me since she knew about it, yet non surprise meaning that the place is already decorated and no jumping out yelling surprise.” William muttered as he slowly walked along the path.

Twilight only paused a second before catching up to William. “If, after the party, I was wondering, would you mind telling me a little about your nation and cultures?”

William only blinked once before smiling. “I wouldn’t mind telling you about it, on the condition that pRincess Luna stays and listens as well, she has been wanting to hear more about the world, not just about the United States of America, but I could tell a little about the Kingdom of Canada to the North, the United Kingdoms.” He smiled a little, “Then there's the Republic of Mexico.” He sighed as they walked into the shadow that was casted by Sugar Cube corner. His face trying to hide the fact he was missing home again. 

“Would it help if we helped bring back some memories of home tonight?” Luna asked with worry as she saw the face of what she knew was going to be a key fighter and player in the coming war. 

William blinked and took a deep breath before letting it out and sighing. “I don’t know Princess,” He admitted. “If anything, it would be nice to remember the goodness that I am trying to save from the Nightmares, yet.. compared to Equestria, we are a little behind in unity it seems.”

Luna laughed as she leaned in slipping into English to speak the next line. “Yet you have achieved something that only one living being has done here.” She looked to the sky. “You have placed your own kind into space. You have dived to the depths of your oceans. We Equestrians could learn much from you, just like you can learn much from us.”

William did not have a chance to answer as the door was flung open as streamers, confetti, and a few colorful balloons escaped as a noise maker sounded from the inside and showered the four. one Human, one Dragoness, one Alicorn, and one Unicorn. There behind the noise and explosion of colors was Pinkie Pie who was smiling and wearing a party hat. With deft and almost unseen speed William found a hat on his head, as he turned around and blinked before smiling a little as Princess Luna placed a hoof to her own head to touch the party hat. Twilight was only smiling as if use to the hat just appearing on her head, as for Sapphire she only looked shocked. “How?” She muttered.

“Don’t ask.” Twilight replied with a sigh, yet a smile on her muzzle. “Trust me, it is better to have that small headache then gain a bigger one trying to find out.” She turned to face Pinkie Pie. Who had in that moment was now hopping up and down in front of William.

“Did you like it? That is the only surprise I was going to throw, well other then the presents, but then again the Presents are considered a given for surprises as you never know what you get unless you get one of those gift cards so you can spend the money that someone else already gave the store so you can get the items you want.” She took a breath of air with a chuckle. “Still you got to smile at least no grumpy pants okay?” SHe asked as she looked to William with an intense look.

William could only smirk. “I will try Pinkie, it is just, I,” he trailed off for a second before finishing. “This is the first time away from home and, well while I consider you all very good friends.”

Pinkie interrupted him as she finished the thought. “It is not the same. After all we are all, what? Just friends of a month or so? While you left behind friends you knew from before your memories started, your parents, and family… I can understand.” She smiled a little as Twilight looked at her in a strange manner. 

“Aren't you going to try and cheer him up over that?” Twilight asked in confusion at how Pinkie Pie was acting at the moment.

“Are you crazy?” Pinkie replied as she stepped back to let them enter Sugar Cube Corner. “That is outside of party control, and a party planner needs to know what can and cannot be handled. The emotions here are way outside of my control, after all I don’t have access to some mystical portal that would allow one to move back and forth between worlds at will, though it might be problematic if it turns us into humans or humans into ponies.” She smiled widely.

The group only looked at her in confusion before she smiled and hopped over to a table. “Punch?” SHe asked. William shook his head and saw that Pinkie Pie had led them into a back part of the confectionary place and it seemed it was a large open place dedicated to holding parties. What surprised him was that it was all of the mane six were present, well seven as Spike was there talking to Rarity. William blinked as he corrected himself mentally. Spike was hanging on every word that Rarity was speaking.

still all conversation stopped as William walked into the room and without warning they all burst out into cheers of Happy Birthday. It was amazing and William blinked back the sudden moisture that found its way into his eyes but he smiled as while the tune was different and the words not the same it was what he felt was a birthday song.

“Happy Birthday to you as you grow a year older, Happy Birthday to you as you enjoy the Sun and Moon. Happy birthday to you now and for many years to come.  May Luna grant many of your wishes today for your birthday.” 

PInkie only smiled as she added her own little thing. “May you find joy today to help you reach next year.” It seemed that it was a Pie saying for a birthday as none of the other ponies sang it. Although Luna did blush a little at how she had been included into the song. She only smiled as the ponies dragged William into the middle of the group as they began to chat with him and really make him feel welcomed.

Luna blinked as the sound of a record started from the gramophone as it began to play something that caused William to pause as he stared at the music. It was jarring as William’s memories activated in her head and she had a word pop into her mind. She looked confused as she looked William as William Howard looked at her. They both looked to Pinkie.

“Pinkie,” William began with a slow almost scared tone to his voice as the music started to build. “Where did you find this?”

Pinkie only blinked. “Well, I found it outside when I first came to Ponyville, and yet, funny thing is that I forgot I had it. it sounds foreign and so maybe it might be something you like.”

William only nodded. “It came from my world.” He admitted causing gasps around the room. “In fact it came from a nation that for a long time was considered the enemy of my nation.” He moved to the vinyl disk that was playing the song. “The song is called Hymn to the Red October, Red October was a revolution that brought the leading political power into control of the largest nation in the world. My homeland could fit into the nation of Russia without a problem, including the island state of Hawaii and Alaska.” He looked at the disk as the music slowly faded away before it started from the beginning. “How odd.” he muttered as he looked at the disk wondering if something was turned into, he blinked at the crazy thought. That this disk was maybe a lost digital copy of the song. He turned around and looked at the ponies. “It also today is associated with an amazing story of deception, false flags, and unknown intentions.” He smiled as he moved to look at Pinkie. “Can, May I borrow it?” He paused and wondered just why he thought about digital information like he did. Maybe because he thought it almost magic being able to send data around the world without it taking up a physical form like the vinyl in front of him.

Pinkie only smiled. “Oh sure you can have all the records I have been finding around, maybe you can find more songs from your home on them.” She hopped up to him. “Consider it my birthday present to you from me.”

Luna only blinked. “Where and how long have you been finding them?”

Pinkie Pie only blinked a little as she looked to Princess Luna. “Well, the disks as I call them seem to appear in the everfree forest, and that is about it.” She smiled. “Nope nothing else, just disks with songs on them I think.”  it seemed she had answered a question that Luna had been about to ask. She smiled a little. “Come on. I want to teach William some Pony games.”

Luna only smiled a little as she moved to watch the first game. Which happened to be Pin the Tail on the Pony. It was a rather interesting pony on the sheet of paper and a second later she realized that Pinkie Pie had placed her own image onto the sheet of paper with cardboard cutouts of her curly tail. Luna only smiled as she realized that this might be a little bit of a way to calm Williams nerves about the game. Even though Humanity had a game similar to this already.

She smiled and was actually shocked when William decided to pull her into the game. That moment Luna saw the room was silent in shock as the alien being was trying to invite Princess Luna to a party game. She only smiled and stepped up. “I guess the fun has been doubled.” She replied as she looked to the others as to remind them of Nightmare Night. This led to a nice time as ponies and one human, as well as the two dragons were soon trying to not see who got the closest but got the most hilarious part. Needless to say, Rainbow Dash won the most hilarious as she somehow got her tail stuck to the ceiling after Luna spun her around a little too much.

the group slowly moved from pin the tail on the pony to another party game that became a rather interesting event of guesses. Charades. From Luna and William trying to make allusions to either Captain America to Wolverine. One guess for Captain America had been a ballerina. To Pony only things. Either Commander Hurricane, which was Rainbow Dash, She was rather frustrated when William had guessed a swirling leaf in fall. Still it was viewed as good fun as usually after a failed event or rather a what? look of one group to another to the person asking. It lead to information being shared. 

William groaned as he rubbed his face. He had just finished trying to describe a submarine, which proved entertaining in its own right. However even fun like this could wear on the nerves of those present. Still one thing that seemed the same was Opera singers. which was grateful for. 

Pinkie Pie seeing what was happening only smiled. “Okay everypony, Present time. Now I made sure that it was just us, so as not to scare William, nor get all of Ponyville into a freak out over what to get our guest of honor but still… I want to see William’s reactions to how well we guessed what he would like. Being from another world and all.”

William only smiled a little at the comment. “That would be a fun little event.” He paused and blinked a little to hide some tears. “First time away for a birthday.”

He slowly walked to the table and found a few boxes wrapped in colorful paper and bows. He noticed something else, the color blue and black was predominant. he looked to the others with a confused look. “Let me guess, because I am a boy?”

“No silly,” Pinkie Pie laughed as she pulled a present from under the table. “Its because you hang out so much with Princess Luna we all thought to just use night colors.”

William only smiled as he knelt down to the ground and looked at the rather large box. “Uh, should I be worried with your name on this?” He asked Pinkie Pie.

“Oh no, I thought that you might enjoy this older model then I would, go on, open it.” She whispered with joy as she hopped up and down. With a shrugged William pulled on one strand of the bow. A second later the box blew up in an explosion of confetti that knocked William back, He coughed and found that a little bit of Equestrian physics had now affected him. He coughed out a little bit of confetti himself before blinking as he saw the item where the box had been. 

“That’s a party Cannon.” William muttered.

“Yep, same one that I used to battle the Changelings, what with you going to war and everything I thought that you might need some weaponized parties for those nasty Nightmares.”

Luna actually smiled. “Well, that could work, as laughter and fun is a viable weapon against the Nightmares.” She seemed a little surprised at Pinkie Pie’s forethought but only smiled. “I shall keep the cannon in easy access for William as well as any pony that he deems in need of access to said Party Cannon.”

“Okie Dokie Lokie.” She replied cheerfully as William looked over the packages and picked one up with Twilight’s Cutie Mark on it. He smiled as he realized what it was. “Books. I love books.”

The sound that came next was surprise from the other five, a knowing smile from Luna and the giddy dance from Twilight as William opened up the wrapping paper that thankfully did not blow up in his face. Still there in his hands he was able to read the titles of two books. “Equestrian Tactics from Commander Hurricane to the Rise of the Wonderbolts.” he paused and found something else. “Royal Officer Training Cadet Guidebook.” He found that it was a small book between the two hard bound ones. He opened it up and found something on the inside cover.

“To William, may this book help in knowing how our military works so you have less time fitting in. Also good luck in keeping General Luna in line with her chance to flex the military. Signed Shining Armor.”

Twilight only smiled. “That is a new edition, Shining must have gotten a few extra copies when he ordered them for the Crystal Empire.” She smiled as she bowed her head as William read the next book.

“Equestrian Myths and Legends, a Complete Guide.” William read out loud. “Well with what I am facing and you six are cleared on. I think this will be coming in handy, after all, Nightmare Moon was considered a legend, as well as Discord.” This brought some laughter from the others. Still he smiled as he placed the books into a side bag that Princess Luna pulled out from thin air from a teleport spell. “Thank you Luna.” William replied with a nod of his head.

He moved to another part of the table that had apples on the tag, the ribbons, and the wrapping paper. “Okay I can guess who wrapped this one.” William spoke with a laugh as he took the paper and after untying the bow on the top, he ripped the paper off to show a wooden crate. In confusion William moved to push the lid open to show jars of Zap Apple Jam. “Woah. This, thank you.” William replied in shock.

“Not a problem Sugarcube.” Applejack replied with a sweep of her front hoof. “Just thought that as an alien it might be interesting to see what you think of Zap Apples.” She moved a hoof now to push the stetson up a little. “Now just let Granny and I know what you think of it when you try it.”

William only nodded. “I shall do that.”

this caused the ponies to smile a little as they looked at each other before Fluttershy surprised William by stepping forward and picked up one box and turned to give it to him. She dropped it into her his hands. “I thought this might help you while on your own, just nature if you are not careful or know what you are doing could outright kill you.”

William only blinked as he opened the wrapping and opened the box as he found he had to place it on the table. “Madame Maple Leaf’s guide to plants and wildlife of Equestria.” he cracked  the cover open and blinked at the hoof written note. He looked up at Fluttershy who only blushed and hide behind her mane. William only smiled. “Thank you Dame Fluttershy.” he replied as he placed the book on the table to find something else, a metal camping tea set, a small wooden box he was sure had tea in it, as well as a cook book. “Dang. I am going to be spoiled in the field.”

Luna only smiled. “Truth, one should be carrying small items from home, and tea is a good way to purify the water you find in the wilderness.” She only kept that cryptic smile as Twilight smiled and nudged Rainbow as she pushed another package, this one badly wrapped and seemed to be held together with a lot of tape. He chuckled a little.

“Now this brings back memories of my family, no one in my family can wrap nicely to save their life, well my mother can. This is what I see at..” He smiled wistfully. “Thank you Rainbow Dash, it reminds me of what I will be fighting for.” he looked to Luna who only shook her head about what he realized was a guess. He pushed his mind away from those thoughts and took to unwrapping the gift to show something that surprised him. “These are,” he started.

“Now before you go and get worried.” Rainbow Dash replied. “I thought you might like some reading other than manuals and so I got these from good friends. Sorry they are not the best shape but its what I could get.”

She was shocked when William hugged Rainbow Dash who pushed back and seemed annoyed. “Don’t do that, sheesh you could have hurt my feathers.” She was also trying not to show that she didn’t mind the hug.

“Sorry, it is just, Well from what I heard you are a big fan of this series, thank you for them.” he smiled as he looked around. “I might need to get a small wagon to go home with.”

“Nay, we shall have some of the guards coming into town later tonight gather them up to be transported back to the castle.” Luna responded. “Today you celebrate and enjoy today. This is the day you were born and with friends about, today should be celebrated. For all the glory and failures of the last year one is older and wiser.” Luna replied with another of her cryptic smiles that actually caused William to like.

Rarity only nodded as she brought a small box that William realized was a fabric box. “Oh wow.” he replied as he wondered what was in it. He slowly yet again opened it by undoing the paper and then after a little while in trying to open the flimsy box he found tissue paper and something else that surprised him. He had in fact this entire time been wearing his ACU uniform from earth here. Playing up the role of foreign advisor to Equestria. In fact he figured that he was attending a celebration for visiting and not a birthday party. Then again it was Pinkie Pie and the town would be unsurprised that Pinkie had found the birthdate of an alien.

He paused his thinking as he looked at what was in the box. He looked up and back down. What was in the box was a black scarf sash type thing that he realized would go around his human Lunar Guard uniform rather nicely. He looked to Luna, who was only smiling at Rarity.

“I see you know your uniform history, this is still an accepted piece of officer wear for those in my guard, one that can be worn by human and pony.” William knew she made the human rule on the spot. “Both are worn around the waist. I also see you added some details that would make my own present usable.”

Luna turned to William and looked him up and down like a general appraising an officer. “Cadet Captain William Howard of the United States Army.” She ignored the slight flinch of William at still be calling a Cadet Captain. “It is by royal decree, and as a visual sign of this decree, we present you with this blade. The blade you used was not fitted for you, and was more for show than anything. We have spend nights crafting this blade so as not only be usable only as your human form, but will morph with you to your disguise which those in this room will either know,” she turned to the female dragon who had followed them. “Or soon shall know.” She lifted from her magic a long polished cherry red wood box. She opened it and William saw an ornate blade with the motif of the moon and stars. “Let this be seen as a sign of the degree, that all military function that is to be attended by I, Princess General Luna, shall have either Nightstar or Thyself be my escort to such functions until such time as you shall return to your home realm.”

Here she lifted the blade with her magic and swung it in the air before touching to William’s shoulder, first his right and then his left. after doing so she attached to William’s side a metal sheath and the blade itself. it rested nicely on William’s hip and he even put a hand on the handle of the blade. He smiled softly and gave a small bow to Princess Luna. One that she knew was due to her being a friend and a confidant. Not a ruler of a nation. She smiled and tilted her head in return to William.

The others only smiled and moved a little to stand around the table. William only smiled and looked to Luna as he was surprised when Luna spoke as if voicing the question he was about to ask. “I think William as a gift of his own in thanks, will be willing to answer any questions you have, and as my sister has told me, you all have some of the highest clearance. So please ask away. Just remember we have a unvetted Dragoness in the room.”

The six ponies and one dragon only nodded their heads. It was spike who spoke first. “Are, are there any dragons from where you come from?” He looked a little nervous.

“No,” William responded as he sat down. “There are no dragons at all roaming Earth. You were in fact my first dragon to meet, and she was my second batch of up close dragons.”

Spike only nodded his head while he smiled. He paused and asked another question. “I see you look at my gems are they food in your world?”

“No,” William stated with a blink before he laughed. “They are very rare and considered valuable. IF anything what you eat in your bowl would be considered a small fortune in my world, one reason why I worry what will happen when I go home.”

Twilight only laughed. “That is silly, anything you bring with you would be considered valuable and sought a.” Here she paused and blinked. “I am guessing you hope to have a level headed leader in charge? You did mention you have elected officials, how is that? Isn’t it chaotic without immortal rulers?”

“Maybe to you, but to me, a human that grew up in his world, it is amazing you can voice your opinion, state what you want to state without reprimands and if you disagree with the government you can voice it. That’s the fun of my nation and other nations of enlightened thought, folks can disagree with one another and not risk being imprisoned, captured, or made to disappear into the mists of nothingness.” he paused as he saw the blank looks. “Killed, most likely killed or solitary confinement for all your life. Nastier places would not just stop with you but your family, your children, your aunts and uncles.” He sighed. “But those are nations that are on the down swing when I left, places no longer taken seriously, yes with concern but mostly humor at the same time.”

Rainbow Dash smirked. “What is the powerfullest plane in your world? The highest reaching manned flight?”

William actually smiled. “The fastest plane can go about four thousand five hundred twenty miles an hour.” he spoke, “Or by Imperial Metrics Standards, Seven Thousand two hundred seventy four Kilometers an hour. The highest manned flight would have been the Apollo program which traveled from our earth to the moon six times. That is a distance of two hundred thirty eight thousand nine hundred miles.”

Rainbow Dash just stared in awe and a little look of annoyance. That is until William finished with another sentence. “But no one has ever created a Sonic Rainboom.” William only smiled as the look of pride returned to Rainbow Dash’s muzzle.

William laughed a little at the expression before Pinkie jumped up and down yelling she was next. She only quieted down when William pointed to her and she grinned. “When was your nation founded so I can throw you a happy birthday America party?” She asked with a look of intensity.

“July Fourth. If I am here that long, I shall remember that, and before you ask any others, it is a picnic type environment with games and fun, with the night filled with fireworks all over the place.” William only smiled softly as he gained a glazed look as he remembered something from his memory. “IT was amazing to see, and to realize and know that in a way the nation started so much change in the world, no one denies that the United States shifted the World.”

Twilight only blinked a few rapid times. “How could one nation shift the world? Did it make it too cold? Too hot?”

William chuckled stopping Twilight from any more questions. “I meant in a political world stage manner. After the United States won the war, at the cost of General Benedict Arnold’s life in the third invasion of Canada. King George sent his brother Edward to become King Edward the first of Canada. King George the Third became Emperor George the First, while Scotland was allowed to reinstate its own king as long as they remained allied to England. That brought in King Richard Stewart the first of Scotland. Ireland in realizing what was happening, did something that some in their own nation both applaud and boo, they asked to be admitted as a Kingdom in the empire, thus the kingdom of Ireland under Queen Adelaide was created. England accepted King William the fifth as their king. King George while having taken on what was honestly an almost honorary and no power role, he effectively ended any other chances of Royal lands every declaring independence as they were independent in they had their own monarchy, but were still tied to the Emperor's family. Also, as an aside, Wales was returned to Ireland’s control as a sign of good faith to seal the deal of their Kingdom rights.”

He shook his head. “That moment changed everything. Because of the united islands and Canada. When the French Revolution occurred, Well that is another story as well. ALong with the sacking of our capital.” he paused. “I have over two hundred years of history, from the Spanish crisis of the Crown, to the American’s actions in the Caribbean, to… our not so pleasent actions during westward expansion.”

Rainbow Dash only looked amazed. “You, wow you might have impressed Commander Hurricane.” She muttered. “The Pegasi were fierce warriors before the Wendigo's, at which point they became the first line defense of Equestria until Discord’s rule.” She blinked and looked at Twilight. “I have been hanging around you too much Egghead.”

Luna only smiled. “What Dame Rainbow Dash was going to say to finish was that after Discord, the military was in shambles and I took upon my wings to rebuild it.” She looked down and her wings sagged a little. “However as peace occurred and the failure in the Crystal Empire, the ponies grew not only jaded, but spurned my court. I wanted to bring something to them that would win back the old admirations and you saw where that led me to.”

William only nodded. “Yeah, I meet their leaders but not that order.” He shivered a little. “Still what I would like to know is, well, some things about Ponyville.” he shuffled his feet a little.

Pinkie only smiled as she took a deep breath, “Well,” What followed was a half hour of Pinkie Pie speaking at such a high speed and rate that barely anyone could even keep up. let alone the author trying to write it.

Pinkie Pie only smiled and seemed to make a weird face at a mirror before looking at her friends. “Come on, I think we have things to do.” She paused. “Actually you two can go, I want to talk to my friends about something that might happen.”

William only blinked but Luna only nodded, grimly looking at Pinkie Pie. “Very well, only because I wish to speak to William about some private matters any way.”

She turned around and began to clip clopping away. “Come Cadet Captain. There is some important matters that must be spoken of,” She looked to the female Dragon. “Sapphire please return to the fort with your cohorts and we shall meet with thee later for some of your own training and requests for help.”

William followed Luna and Sapphire out the door and onto the street running in front of Sugarcube Corner. Sapphire looked around before she took to the air, William only walked up to Luna’s side. 

The two walked in silence for a while, just heading towards what William could see as grass land to the south of Ponyville.after a while, Princess Luna paused and looked to William. “William Howard, highest ranked human in Equestria, I wanted to bring you out here for something.” She turned to look to the horizon. “As we discussed, we will not be working on sending you home till after the coming war is finished.” She only hesitated for a second. “However with how the Nightmares brought you here, using spells and magic that are seeped so deeply in the dark magic, that you had a Nightmare placed in your own mind in transit, we do not yet even know if we can send you back home. There is mirror travel, yet those do not bode well in returning to your exact home.” She did not turn, did not risk turning to face William. “I tell you this now so that you will not have a false hope fighting in the war. I do not want you to think that my sister and I shall always have the answers to the universe.”

She expected many things from William, what she did not expect was for William to step up into her field of vision and looked to the sky. “I could die in the war.” William spoke, starting his response, his voice never rising nor showing much anger. “I could fall to the Nightmares and you would have to kill me to keep Equestria safe. Maybe the reason why I ask not to work on the way home was because I was thinking more that I would not live past the war.” He smiled a little. “Thank you however for wishing to give me the truth, no matter how unvarnished. Thank you for also confirming a dark fear I have, yet I see you are scared and sorrowing over the fact I may be the first human here, and the first human to be buried in your cemeteries.” He looked back to Ponyville. “Many Americans rest in cemeteries in Europe, having died to end an empire that wished to see a religious sect of humans wiped from the face of the earth.” He paused and smiled. “Americans, at least the way I choose to believe, we are willing to give our life for freedom, not just our own, but for people who we never met before, nor lived close to them.” He began to walk again, towards a lone tree on a hill. “Others will say other things about America, about humanity, and what our path should be. Still, what you are learning I warn you again, is the bias of one man.”

Luna only have a snicker like laugh. “As I am well aware of. Thou hast seen the varying opinions of not just my men, who wanted you in our darkest dungeon. To those that see you as a bringer of peace and prosperity.” She smiled at the way those words froze William, “Yet in the same paper, there are others who fear you are the front of an invasion that will see all of Equis enslaved to your empire.”

William bowed his head. “And yet all of those can outright be true, the medical technology we have could help, our communication skills and tech as well.” He turned around to Luna. “Why do you put up with me?” he asked, surprising Luna. “You saw my mind, you saw how… war like humanity can be. You know that humanity could outright go to war with you just because we fear you.” He chuckled. “Don’t think Celestia’s sun bombs would scare us, we would still send men into the affected areas nonetheless.” He looked at Luna. “Humanity scares even me, I have seen the darkest hearts of humanity.”

Princess Luna only smiled and walked up and placed a wing on William’s head, her expression of all things sad. “Yes, yet thou shouldst know that we also saw that you have forgiven humanity, that you choose to look at the purity of their goals, of their dreams. The need to do better.” She slowly settled down so she was laying down on the ground. “You defend those around you because you know they can do better.” She smiled and looked right at William, eye to eye. “You are a defender. You for this short time even has become my own defender in a way, though it is not by skin, but by wing, fur and hooves you are my defender.” She only smiled. “You use your skills and energy to defend others because you do not want others to face the pain you saw yourself. Why do you think I have taken a more active role with the military upon my return? I too wish not to see the Nightmares take any more of my little ponies, I lost the moon to them, I shall not lose my sister’s home to them now.”

She looked to the sky and the sun which was slowly moving to the horizon. “Still, I think it is time that before we both go to war, that you know my full name. I prefer to go by General Princess Luna. To you in a setting like this, Luna. Still, you have earned just by time spent here, to know my name.  My name is Luna Nocturna Galaxia Spectrus.” She smiled a little. “The royal house is that of Spectrus.” She slowly got up from the ground. “Come, we should return back to the castle, tonight, I need to not only speak to my sister about something she is planning, it is time that the orders be opened for the coming war.” She sighed softly with a strange look on her muzzle that William realized was disgust. Luna could see he had read her facial expression. “I am only disgusted in that we have to open a packet of which I never wanted opened.”

William did not know what to say, nor what to do. All he knew was that the rest of the trip back to the castle was done in silence and his mind starting to churn over what he realized were a triggered memory. He had Luna’s ancient battle plans in his head and he blinked. He did not like the prospect of what else might be lurking in his mind from when he had given his mind up for Princess Luna to cleanse of the Nightmares. He took a deep breath but finally let his mind off the leash and allowed those memories to flow through his conscious mind, hoping to glean something from them that he could use here, as well as maybe marrying what Luna knew and what he knew of military tactics from Earth.

The silence that William did expect to last to the castle, did not last as Luna asked a question out of the blue. “Tell me about this Sacking of your Capital?” William’s feet stumbled a little as his breath hitched a little. “This would surely have colored the opinion of  your nation towards your allies and neighbors.”

William only nodded his head slowly. “Of, of course.” He took a breath. “King Edward the First of Canada, combined with the might of the Royal navy of the United Kingdoms of Scotland, Ireland, and England. under the direction of King George the fourth, had decreed that any Subjects of the crown after the formation of the United States could and would be pressed into service of the Royal Navies.” He shook his headd. “Even with proper papers hundreds of American were pressed into service, and back then, the service they were pressed into was a death sentence in of itself. Very few of those pressed into service every left ship alive.” He shook his head. “The sacking of our capital occurred during the War of 1812, a war where the United States outright demanded the stop of their own sailors being pressed into the service of the Crown, as well as the confiscation of vessels to pay for past war debts of the French and Indian War. The Kingdom of Canada’s merchant fleet was bolstered by a third due to that tactic.” He closed his eyes and his fist clenched. “The  Canadian Royal Army attacked three months after the start of the war, broke through the lines and forced the United States first Army westward into the state of Virginia, they regroup at Valley Forge, a second time actually. They then looted the entire capital, We were able to smuggle out a few items, the great seal, the Declaration of Independence, and the Constitution, everything else was left. There was no time to save the three paintings of George Washington, and General Arnold. Those were looted frame and all and hang in the National Art Gallery of Quebec now. The china is said to be used to this day by the Royal Family, and entire fortunes were carted off in gold, silver, and gems.” He looked at the horizon. “Those fortunes went to pay the army, so by the time the war even ended it was dispersed among hundreds of men and families.”

Luna could see a change, a marked change. “The reason why the White House is called the White House was caused by what came next. They burned the entire city to the ground.” He took a deep breath. The buildings were gutted but they remained intact, that is why we whitewash the entire city, to hide the damage of fire that occurred that night.”

Luna blinked in shock. “They burned your capital to the ground?” She looked angry suddenly. “They should pay for that injustice. Surely they returned the paintings.”

William blinked. “I said they hang in the Royal Art Gallery of Quebec. They almost got the founding documents but time and again we were able to slip them away.” He did smile a little. “If anything the lose of DC galvanized the nation to fight, and.. while we never got the treasurer of DC back. Nor the plates our first bills were printed from. The end of the war saw a defeat of a combined military at New Orleans and the United Kingdoms finally having to respect our right to the sea. We won our right and final recognition of being a sovereign nation. But we lost a lot to Canada. Thankfully they did return the Constitution to us after the war.” he paused and looked to Luna. “That was a famous frigate in the United States Navy.”

Luna only smiled to herself as she listened to William, she knew that this was a little pointless, she already knew this information. Stilll, having asked the question had another purpose, to distract William from the shifting shadows in the trees. She did not know if it was her own mind playing tricks but she felt it wise to keep him from noticing the oddity. However the cause of the shaodews came to manifest as her sister walked out of the trees, her own muzzle in a frown.

“Luna, William.” Celestia muttered softly as she joined the group. “I hope I did not startle you too greatly.” She smiled as she took up a stance on the otherside of William and Luna felt something in her heart and mind. She realized something, it was because of how close Celestia had been walking next to William, she pushed the emotion away. Of course she would walk that close, they were protecting William from the Nightmares.

William had only paused and smiled a little. “hello Princess Celestia, I hope you are having a good day.”

“I am, I was informed by a letter by my student that today was a birthday celebration? I hope it was, a acceptable celebration.”

William only smiled with a nod of his head. “Yes it was, I must say that it was fun. Though some of the gifts were a little practical, which I can’t complain about, just it feels weird that, I will have to be leading troops into the field shortly.”

Celestia only nodded. “Why not command the home guard if you feel uncomfortable leading the troops in the field?”

William paused momentarily. “No, thank you your majesty, but I feel that Princes Luna if she stays on my flank or rear, with me acting like a bait to the enemy, it could lead to a quick end to the war, the Nightmares want me, the want me to the point they could outright ignore all over military moves. So give them a nice opening, and we can catch them.”

Celestia only smiled a little. “They why not just stay in the open and let us just catch them?” She paused at the look between Luna and William.

“Sister,” Luna began. “The reason why I am pushing this, is for one reason. The Nightmares somehow know of a way to find the lost cities. The Oasis in the Sands of Time.” She spoke and Celestia, William noticed paled. “The Military might will force them to take the land and start their digging at that city sooner than they would want, and when we strike it will be not only a blow to the Nightmares, but also, be a boon to our knowledge base.”

William nodded his head. “Also, I Am the most expendable of those that the Nightmares want. IF needed you can drop your sun bomb on my location and it would not affect the order of the planet.” he did not see Luna’s expression of horror.

“No,” She shook her head. “I shall not let you throw your life away like that, think a little more then that, we could not do that if you end up in the city itself, there are legends of untold artifacts that if outright destroyed, may very well bring the end of the planet as well. Celestia’s full power is not an option.”

Celestia only blinked as she could hear a tone underneath the one she was sure William was hearing, not only was Luna agast that a creature of such short life would want to throw any of it away, she could. She sighed in her mind as her wings drooped a little. She would have to speak to her sister tonight about just what she was seeing.