Prologue: Musings of the Moon

Prologue:
Musings of the Moon

From her personal balcony in the royal palace of Canterlot, Princess Luna watched as her sister's sun began to set over the horizon. As she basked in the orange-red glow of the evening sky, she felt uneasy. Something was on her mind, and it wasn't her upcoming duties, which would begin as soon as the sun completely disappeared.

To this day, he remains my greatest mistake, she thought, breathing a deep sigh. A mistake I never had a chance to correct. And now, he means to come back. Why? Just what is he planning? Could it be that the legends are actually true?

She shook her head. No, of course not, she assured herself. That's just a silly story cooked up by the other beasts of Tartarus. But still, after all that has happened in the past few weeks, I cannot help but worry...

"Beautiful view, isn't it?"

A sly voice brought Luna back to reality, although she could not see where it came from.

"Of course, I always thought it would look more beautiful a few degrees to the left, or maybe if it descended to the north for a change. Just to spice things up a bit," the voice continued. "But then again, you-know-who would probably get all persnickety and gripe on and on about how there has to be an order to things. Almost makes me wonder why she chose to free me in the first place."

By this point, Luna knew full well who it was. "Discord," she said as she continued to stare off into space. "To what do I owe the pleasure?"

Sure enough, the Master of Chaos himself appeared before the princess's eyes. "You mean besides myself?" he asked. "Well, I always found you to be better company than your stick-in-the-mud of a sister. Although you still rank below the phoenix in my book. No offense or anything, but that bird just knows a good time when she sees it."

"I'm glad you and Philomena are getting along so well," said Luna, her expression still passive.

Discord raised an eyebrow. "Hey now. Why the long face?" he inquired, pulling on Luna's muzzle and stretching it out to emphasize his point. Luna shot the draconequus a glare, and he sheepishly released her, snapping the muzzle back into her face. She shook herself and recovered from the odd experience.

"Discord, have you heard of the recent events from Tartarus?" she asked.

Discord placed his eagle talon to his chin and stroked his goatee in thought. "I can't say that I have," he said thoughtfully. "But then again, my cousin and I haven't really been on speaking terms since I switched its heads around that one time. Seriously, that Chimera really can't take a joke."

"I'm not talking about that," said Luna, shaking her head at the absurd answer. "I mean did you hear about the recent breakouts from Tartarus?"

"Oh. That," said Discord. "Just for the record, that was not my fault." He then struck a thinking attitude again. "Of course, maybe it would be kinda fun if a few of those creatures managed to slip past that three-headed hound. It certainly would give that uptight sister of yours something interesting to..."

"Don't even think about it, Discord," Luna interrupted, shooting the chaotic creature a warning glare.

"Oh come now, Lunatic," said Discord playfully, patting the starry-maned alicorn on the back with his lion paw. "A draconequus can dream, can't he?"

"I thought I told you not to call me that," Luna growled through gritted teeth.

"Hey, I didn't call you a lunatic," said Discord. "Trust me, that award already goes to that twin-headed pet of yours."

"And it's him that I'm worried about," said Luna darkly, turning her attention back to the sunset. "Tartarus is supposed to suppress dark magic, and yet Orthrus found away around it. He's trying to come back."

"I don't see what the problem is," Discord said with a shrug. "So he managed to summon a genie from Saddle Arabia and use her in a couple of crazy schemes. Big deal."

"Discord, it was because of those schemes that he almost broke out," said Luna.

"Oh pshaw, Lunatic," said Discord with a chuckle. "'Almost' only counts in horseshoes." To illustrate his point, he summoned a horseshoe out of nowhere and tossed it at Luna, landing a dead ringer on her horn. "After all, I almost spread chaos all over Equestria, but you don't see me sitting on the throne."

Luna turned around and raised an eyebrow as she saw the Discord was actually sitting on a throne. Discord cleared his throat and made the throne disappear with a snap of his fingers. "Well, you get my point," said he.

Luna sighed. "Discord, I'm the one who gave Orthrus those powers when I was Nightmare Moon, so that he would be able to defeat his brother Cerberus. It may have been a thousand years, but I still remember how powerful he was back then."

"And how is that relevant to now?" asked Discord. "You're not Nightmare Moon anymore, Lunatic. Well, except on Nightmare Night, but that's more of a parlor trick for the kiddies. I always liked that, by the way."

Luna gave an exasperated sigh. "Discord, do you take anything seriously?"

Instead of answering, Discord snapped his fingers. In a flash, Luna's wings were on her head, and her horn was sticking out of her back.

"Hey!" Luna exclaimed in annoyance.

"Ask a silly question, get a silly answer," Discord said with a shrug, using his magic to revert Luna back to normal. "I'm still not sure what you're so worried about, Lunatic. Even if Orthrus tries again, I'll be surprised if he comes up with a scheme that doesn't have a gaping hole in it. Honestly, if his best idea of escape is to put his hopes in my cousin the Chimera, he's out of his mind, both of them."

Luna said nothing, but continued staring off into space. Discord sighed.

"Look, Lunatic. If it makes you feel any better, I don't want anything to do with your little pet," said he. "He's just too grouchy for my tastes. He needs to appreciate the finer things in life, like chocolate rain and buffalos doing ballet. At the very least, he needs a hobby to distract himself from his frustration of not being able to overthrow you on the off-chance you defeated your sister all those years ago."

Luna gave Discord a sideways glance. "That's just a legend."

"Oh, don't be so naïve," said Discord, folding his mismatched arms. "The Chimera wouldn't have agreed to try and help Orthrus escape if he was just planning to go back to serving you. Well, ignoring the fact that you're no longer Nightmare Moon, of course."

"Great. Now you've given me more reason to worry," said Luna with a sigh.

"If you wanted me to sugarcoat things, you should've told me," said Discord, donning some coveralls and producing a paintbrush out of nowhere. He then coated the rim of the balcony with some sort of sparkling paint. "Go ahead, try it."

Luna simply rolled her eyes and sniffed Discord's handiwork. Indeed, it did smell sweet. Tentatively, she licked the banister, and sure enough, it was sugar.

"Well? What do you think?" the draconequus asked. "Feeling any better?"

Luna paused for a moment, looking back at Discord. Finally, she smiled. "Slightly," she confessed. "Although I still wish you'd take things more seriously."

"What, and become an uptight stick-in-the-mud like your sister? Thanks, but no thanks," said Discord.

"Oh, that reminds me," said Luna. "Celie is having Fluttershy over to look after Philomena and Cerberus while she goes to Appleoosa for a summit with the buffalo tomorrow. I thought you'd might like to know."

Discord's ears perked up, and a gentle smile crossed his face. "Well now. That is a surprise," he mused. "I will give your sister this, Lunatic. She may be an uptight stick-in-the-mud, but she can be quite thoughtful when she wants to be."

"I'll let her know you approve," said Luna just as the sun completely set. "Now, if you'll excuse me, I have some duties to attend to."

With that, she stretched out her wings and took off into the air. Discord watched her leave and shook his head.

"She worries too much for her own good," he muttered to himself. "Well, I know where I'm going to be tomorrow."

He then snapped his fingers, and disappeared in a burst of light.

Kindness Knows No Bounds

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Luminous Atonement Chapter 1:
Kindness Knows No Bounds

"Thank you for volunteering to help out on such short notice, Fluttershy. Usually Cerberus can watch himself, but he's been very restless lately, and I want to make sure he doesn't run off again."

"Oh, it's not a problem, Your Highness," said Fluttershy cheerfully as she flew alongside Princess Celestia. "We're more than happy to look after your pets while you're away. Isn't that right, Angel?"

The little white bunny sitting in Fluttershy's mane didn't respond, but instead looked over at the regal-looking bird perched in the princess's back. The bird glanced back at Angel, and offered him an indifferent shrug. Celestia noticed the exchange and chuckled.

"I assure you, Philomena has promised to behave herself this time," said she. "Besides, she just went through her molting period, so you don't have to worry about that. Ah, here we are."

When they arrived at the Gates of Tartarus, it was nothing like Fluttershy expected. Just to the right of a large cave marked by sinister-looking torches was a luscious patch of green where Cerberus was prowling around. Once he noticed his mistress arriving, her barked happily and bounded over to greet her. Each of his heads took a turn mussing up Celestia's luxurious mane with their tongues.

"Alright, Cerberus. Down, boy," said Celestia with a giggle. Cerberus obeyed, standing at attention. "Now, Cerberus. Fluttershy here is going to be watching after you, so make sure you do as she says, alright?"

Cerberus looked over Fluttershy and sniffed her with his three noses. Recognizing her as the pegasus who gave him a belly rub when he ran to Ponyville, he gave her three affectionate licks. As he did so, Angel found himself tumbling out of Fluttershy's mane and landing on his bottom with a plop.

"Aw~. I think he likes me," Fluttershy giggled.

Angel got to his feet and gave Fluttershy a bemused look. Seeing the little bunny's grumpiness, Philomena swooped down next to him and started tickling his nose with her wing. Angel sneezed, and scowled at the great phoenix as she cawed mirthfully.

"Well, it looks like you have everything under control," said Celestia with a warm smile. "Just make sure that at least one of Cerberus's heads is paying attention to Tartarus at all times. He tends to get distracted."

"One head paying attention to Tartarus. Got it," said Fluttershy with a nod. "Don't worry, Princess Celestia. We're all going to have a great time together."

"So, is this a private party, or can anyone join?"

A familiar voice echoed from seemingly nowhere. Celestia raised an eyebrow, knowing full well who it was. She was proven correct as a brilliant flash gave way to Discord, who was carrying a picnic basket in his snake tail.

"Well well, this is quite a surprise," said Celestia, completely unfazed.

"Surprises are my specialty, Princess," said Discord. "You should know by now that with me, it's best to expect the unexpected."

"It's certainly good to see you, Discord," Fluttershy said pleasantly. "How have things been at the castle?"

"Oh, you know. Same old, same old," said Discord in a bored tone. "And my word, is it dull. I've actually been thinking about inviting all the creatures in Tartarus to a little soirée in the main ballroom. Of course, I'd have to make sure that the Chimera and Orthrus don't get invitations, but..."

"Discord..." Celestia said sternly.

"Kidding, kidding," said Discord with a lighthearted laugh. "We all know how Her Royal Snootiness likes everything to be just so."

Celestia rolled her eyes and gave Discord a knowing smirk. "Well, I'd better get going," said she. "I should be back tomorrow at dawn. I leave everything in your hooves, Fluttershy."

"I won't let you down, Your Highness," said Fluttershy with a bow.

With that, Celestia spread her great wings and rose into the air. As she flew off into the distance, Philomena screeched a cheerful farewell and waved while Cerberus yipped happily.

"So, how are things back in Ponyville, dear Fluttershy?" Discord asked, laying down the picnic basket and brandishing a picnic blanket from nowhere. "Anything new going on?"

"Well, not particularly," said Fluttershy thoughtfully. "Well, unless you count what happened last week."

"Hmm?"

"Twilight found this magic lamp, see, and..."

"Oh, rightrightright," said Discord. "Yes, I was just talking about that with Lunatic last night."

"Lunatic?" Fluttershy asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Princess Luna," Discord clarified, laying out a delicious spread of dandelion sandwiches, salads, bread pudding, and tea. There was even some bowls of kibble for Cerberus and birdseed for Philomena.

"Oh my," said Fluttershy. "Doesn't she get mad at you for calling her that?"

"Well, sometimes," Discord admitted, pouring himself some tea.

"Then why do you call her that?"

"Simple, my dear Fluttershy. Because there is no reason for me to call her that."

If it was anypony else saying that, Fluttershy would've gotten confused. But with Discord, it just made sense not to make sense.

"So, you've heard about what's been happening at Tartarus," said Fluttershy. "That's probably why Cerberus has been so restless."

"Well, in my professional opinion, he's worrying about nothing, just like Lunatic is," said Discord, drinking the teacup while the tea remained. Philomena seemed to squawk in agreement while Angel gave the draconequus a suspicious look. He then folded his arms and stuck up his nose.

"Angel, that's not nice," Fluttershy admonished. "I'm sure Discord wouldn't just be saying that."

"Trust me, my dear. Orthrus and I would not get along," said Discord, munching on the saucer that once held his teacup. "If he wants out of that prison, he's on his own."

Just then, a sinister roar echoed from the cave. Cerberus perked up from his meal and began snarling. Fluttershy jumped and darted behind Discord.

"Wh-what was that?" she stammered, shaking like a leaf.

Discord lifted his armpits and gave them cursory sniffs. "Hmm. Sounds like my cousin isn't too pleased with the fact that I'm here," he mused. "I probably should've put on some cologne before I arrived."

"Your cousin?"

"The Chimera. I believe your friend Rarity tangled with it," Discord explained. "Nasty fellow, but not all that bright."

As if responding to Discord's insult, a loud bleat sounded from the Gates of Tartarus.

"And, as you can probably tell, about as subtle as a rabbit with giraffe legs," he added with disdain.

"Oh, goodness," said Fluttershy. "So, you two don't get along?"

"Eh, you could say that," said Discord with a shrug. "Sheesh, you swap someone's body parts around one time as a joke, and all of a sudden, you're marked for life."

Fluttershy decided not to ask. Not that she could have anyway, as a serpent's rasp was heard from Tartarus. Discord was starting to get annoyed.

"Alright, you three-headed grump! I can take a hint! I know when I'm not wanted!" he roared. He then turned back to Fluttershy, clearing his throat and changing his demeanor. "I am so sorry I have to cut my visit short, my dear. But, you know how it is."

"Oh, I understand," said Fluttershy with a timid nod. "I enjoyed your company regardless."

"Well thank you, Fluttershy. At least somepony did," said Discord, glancing at the Gates of Tartarus as a cacophony of angry roars, bleats, and hisses echoed from within. "I'm going, I'm going! Just give me a second, will you?! Ugh, sweet Celestia Luna and Cadence on a pogo stick." He sighed in exasperation and gave Fluttershy a warm smile. "Ta-ta for now, dear Fluttershy. I hope we can do this again sometime."

With that, he snapped his fingers and disappeared, leaving the picnic spread behind. As soon as he left, the noises from Tartarus ceased.

"Well, that was interesting," said Fluttershy, helping herself to a dandelion sandwich. "At least he seems to be doing alright. What do you think, Angel?"

Angel gave Fluttershy an indifferent shrug.

"You're not too fond of him, are you?"

Angel rolled his eyes and shook his head.

"Well, like I said, he's a real sweetheart when you get to know him," said Fluttershy. "You just have to give him a chance." She then looked up, and noticed Cerberus sniffing the ground. "Oh, Cerberus! Don't forget, Princess Celestia wants you to watch Tartarus!"

She then flew over to get the three-headed hound's attention while Philomena nudged Angel playfully with her wing. With a sigh of defeat, the little bunny turned to the great phoenix with a quizzical look. Philomena then batted Angel with her wing and flew off cackling. Angel growled and began chasing after her.

***

As the day wore on, Fluttershy remained diligent as she watched over Cerberus and Philomena. The two pets of Celestia were playing a delightful game of Chase while Angel lay down in the grass to rest. As she watched the two pets having fun, Fluttershy noticed something else coming over the horizon.

"Is that the Princess?" she mused. "She's quite early."

But it wasn't the Princess. Instead, it was a pony she didn't recognize. She was dressed from head to hindquarters in a dark cloak, and her wings were thin and bat-like instead of the typical feathers pegasi had. She landed in front of Fluttershy, her head remaining bowed.

"Um, hello," said Fluttershy shyly.

"Greetings, child," the old mare rasped, not looking up. "Tell me, what are you doing here?"

"Oh, me?" asked Fluttershy, hiding her face in her bangs. "Well, I'm just looking after the Princess's pets while she's away."

"My. How kind of you," said the old mare, gradually raising her head. Her face still remained hidden in the cloak.

"Oh, it's no trouble at all," said Fluttershy, staring at the ground. "I'm very good with animals."

The bat-winged pegasus said nothing for a time. Finally, Fluttershy cleared her throat and broke the silence.

"So, wh-what brings you here?" she inquired, the awkwardness of the situation starting to get to her.

"Child, you're shaking like a leaf," said the wizened old pegasus, concerned. "You have nothing to fear from me, I assure you."

"S-sorry," said Fluttershy. "I'm just not very good around other ponies. Especially strangers."

"Ah. Shame," said the mare with a sigh. "I was wondering if you'd do a favor for me."

"A favor?"

"A creature in Tartarus does not deserve to be there," the mare explained. "I was wondering if you could free him."

Fluttershy's eyes widened. "Me? Oh, I couldn't do that. Princess Celestia would get mad."

"Listen, child."

Fluttershy obliged, and a low howl echoed from Tartarus. It didn't sound angry like before, but rather it was somber and mournful.

"Does that sound like a monster of evil?" the mare asked.

"Well, no," admitted Fluttershy. "But..."

"Listen to the kindness in your heart, child," said the pegasus, cutting across her. "Do what must be done."

The howls from Tartarus grew softer in tone, but in Fluttershy's mind, they grew louder. Her eyes began to glaze over as she trotted towards Tartarus. Noticing this, Angel frantically pulled on his owner's tail, pantomiming a warning. But the kind yellow pegasus paid him no heed.

"That poor creature," said Fluttershy, only half-aware of what she was doing. "He doesn't deserve to be in there."

Angel palmed his face and tried again. Alas, his efforts were in vain, and Fluttershy strolled straight into the Gates of Tartarus. Cerberus's left head noticed this and bounded over to investigate. When he caught Fluttershy's scent wafting from Tartarus, he quickly ran inside. Equally concerned, Philomena and Angel followed at his heels.

***

The inside of Tartarus was not a pleasant sight. The only sources of illumination were a select few lanterns, which cast shadows that formed images of a pony's worst nightmares. Still, Fluttershy trudged on, oblivious to everything but the sorrowful howl that still resonated in her mind. Finally, she reached the source of the sound in a dark, desolate catacomb. It was just beyond a large solid slab of rock.

"Hmm. There has to be some way to open this," she pondered aloud. "Oh, maybe..."

Noticing a glowing symbol in the rock barely visible to the naked eye, she flew over and tapped it with her hoof. The symbol became brighter and brighter before fading completely, and the wall vanished before her eyes.

"Aww~. Now who locked you in here?" she asked. "Come on, now. It's okay. I'm here to help you."

***

Cerberus sniffed and sniffed, following Fluttershy's trail the best he could. Angel shivered, clutching to Philomena as she flew just above Cerberus, illuminating the path with her fiery plumage. After a while of searching, they finally found Fluttershy, walking back towards the entrance and cradling something in her foreleg. Or she would be, if there was anything to cradle.

"Shh. It's okay," she cooed to the empty air. "I'm right here. Nothing is going to hurt you."

All three animals were perplexed. What was Fluttershy doing? Didn't she know that she could've gotten hurt? Cerberus barked, hoping to get the pegasus's attention.

"Shh. I know you're scared," Fluttershy said softly, still oblivious to everything else. "But it'll be okay, I promise."

There was no time to argue. Cerberus quickly scooped up Fluttershy in his mouth and bounded back to the Gate, with Angel and Philomena not far behind. As they got back outside, his two unoccupied heads snarled angrily, demanding an explanation. But the mysterious pegasus from before had disappeared.

Growling and keeping a wary eye on things, Cerberus set Fluttershy to the ground as she fell into a peaceful slumber. Angel looked over his owner, scratching his head in confusion. Philomena merely shrugged, just as clueless. Unbeknownst to them all, a wisp of sparkling black smoke slithered out of Tartarus and into the evening sky...

Involuntary Relapse

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Luminous Atonement Chapter 2:
Involuntary Relapse

Princess Luna watched the starry night sky through her telescope as she eagerly awaited her sister's return from Appleoosa. She had seen the city in the dreams of other ponies, but had never been there herself. Her belly growled and grumbled in anticipation of the goodies Celestia promised her upon her return.

"Patience," she told herself. "Celie will be here any minute now."

And sure enough, the Princess's sky chariot passed in front of her vision. Luna quickly spread her wings and flew down to greet her elder sister.

"Welcome back, Tia," she said happily as the sky chariot touched down.

"It's nice to see you as well, Luna," Celestia said warmly. "Here, just I promised."

Using her magic, she produced a most delicious-looking apple pie. Luna licked her lips as she took the pie with her own magic.

"Thank you, Sis," said she. "How was the summit?"

"Oh, you know," said Celestia with a shrug as she and her sister walked back to the castle. "There wasn't much to talk about. The buffalo are living in peaceful coexistence with the ponies of Appleoosa. I feel that there may be other cities that can learn from their example. The buffalo seemed to agree."

"Sounds like it was a rousing success then," said Luna.

"I suppose," said Celestia modestly. "How were things here?"

"Not bad, not bad," said Luna, helping herself to a bit of the apple pie. "There were quite a few interesting dreams tonight."

"Oh? Like what?"

"Now, Tia. It's not nice to gossip," said Luna coyly.

"Ah, right," said Celestia with a smirk of her own. "Silly me."

The two alicorn princesses continued to chat as they made their way through the castle halls. As they polished off the last of the pie, Luna yawned and stretched.

"Looks like it's almost dawn," said Celestia.

"Indeed," said Luna, finishing her stretch. "It has been quite a..."

Before she could finish, she heard a sinister-sounding howl. Her ears perked up. Something about the howl sounded, familiar.

"Sis, did you hear that?" she inquired.

Celestia gave the younger alicorn a puzzled look. "Hear what?"

"That howl just now."

"I didn't hear anything. It must've been the wind."

Luna dwelled on the sound for a moment before shrugging it off. "I suppose you're right," she said. "Now, let me just..."

She focused her magical energy into a simple spell. It was a spell she casted every night to lower the moon, so that the sun may rise. Such was the routine of the princesses of Equestria.

But this time, something went wrong.

Before she could fully cast the spell, a jolt of pain racked Luna's body. It felt like a sharp electric shock traveling through her horn and right down her spine. When she recovered, she found that the moon still remained in the sky. Utterly befuddled, she tried again, only to get the same result.

"Luna, what's wrong?" Celestia asked.

"I-I can't," Luna whimpered, fighting against the pain as she tried again and again. "M-my spell. I-I can't cast it! I-I can't lower the moon!"

Celestia's brow furrowed. "Now this is strange," she mused. "You've always had complete control over the moon. Hang on, let me try something."

Celestia closed her eyes, and light green energy radiated from her horn. Slowly, the moon began to set and the sun peeked out over the horizon. Celestia's concentration was broken when Luna screamed. When the older mare opened her eyes, she saw her sister recoiling in pain, her own horn sparkling with dark blue energy. Outside, the moon rose back to its original spot, and the sun disappeared altogether.

"Luna, what's going on?" Celestia inquired.

"I-I don't know," said Luna earnestly, tears in her eyes. "I really don't..."

Celestia pondered and puzzled for a moment. "We might have to take a trip to the Canterlot Archives," she said. "In the meantime, this has to be fixed. Discord!"

In a burst of light, the Master of Chaos appeared.

"You rang?" he asked.

"Luna cannot lower the moon. We're not sure why yet," Celestia explained.

"And?"

"And I feel that it's time your magic was put to proper use."

"Oh, is that all?" said Discord. "Well, that's a relief. I thought you were going to blame me."

"Believe me, Discord. I know better than to jump to conclusions," said Celestia sternly. "Now, if you don't mind..."

"Alright, alright," said Discord. "No need to be so pushy."

He snapped his fingers, and the moon and sun exchanged places as quick as a wink. But before anypony could bask in the sun's rays, Luna howled in pain once more, and the day became night once again. Raising an eyebrow, Discord tried again, only for the same events to play out as before. With a growl of annoyance, he tried again. This time, he also built an enormous tower that stretched all the way to the heavens in order to hold the sun in place. He didn't have long to admire his handiwork, however, as the tower collapsed from the strain and the moon still managed to return. His jaw dropped.

"Okay, usually I like it when things don't make sense, but this is just ridiculous!" he groused. "When I want something to happen, I *snap* expect *snap* it *snap* to *snap* happen!"

With each snap of his fingers, he tried to raise the sun again. And each time, a piercing pain shot through Luna's body, and the moon kept coming back.

"IN THE NAME OF ALL OF EQUESTRIA, WE COMMAND THEE TO CEASE!" Luna cried out in her Canterlot voice. "THOU ART HURTING US!"

"Yes, and screaming in my face when I'm trying to solve the problem is really going to help, right Lunatic?" said Discord sardonically, clearing out his ear with his snake tail. "Oh, and do you think you can speak up just a bit? I don't think they heard you all the way in the Crystal Empire."

"Instead of arguing with my sister, maybe you can try to find out what's wrong," Celestia suggested.

Discord sighed. "Honestly, Princess. If I had any idea what was wrong, would I be this frustrated? Keep in mind, nothing has been able to counter my magic before. Well, except for the Elements of Harmony, but even then..."

He trailed off as a realization hit him. "Oh no."

"Oh no?" parroted Celestia.

"Stay here with Lunatic, Princess. There's something I need to check on."

Before Celestia could ask for further details, Discord snapped his fingers and disappeared.

***

When Discord reappeared at the Gates of Tartarus, he was not greeted with a warm reception. Cerberus, who was still on high alert, snarled at him while Angel gave him a glare of his own.

"Hey, hey. Easy," said Discord, raising his hands. "I'm not here to cause trouble."

Angel folded his arms, clearly not believing him.

"I'm serious," Discord insisted. "Fluttershy, back me up here."

But Fluttershy did not respond. She was still fast asleep.

"Oh, for the love of Pete," Discord groaned. He then summoned an alarm clock and placed it next to the sleeping pegasus. The clock went off, and Fluttershy stirred.

"Hmm? Huh?" she said in a dazed tone, tapping the clock with her hoof and yawning. "Whattime izzit?"

"Well see, that's a bit of a moot point right now," said Discord.

"Mmm? Discord?" Fluttershy said, stretching out her forelegs. "What are you doing here? The last thing I remember was this sad sound coming from Tartarus, and..."

"Um, just a minute, dearie. What's this about Tartarus?" Discord inquired.

"Hmm? Oh, there was this sound from Tartarus. Some animal sounded like it was in pain," Fluttershy explained. "And then... Hmm, what happened then? I-I can't remember. It's all, blurry for some reason."

Discord stroked his chin with his lion paw. "Huh. Most curious indeed," he mused. "Any of you know what happened?"

Angel quickly pantomimed the whole affair while Fluttershy and Discord looked on. When he finished, Fluttershy's eyes snapped open.

"I did what?!" she exclaimed in disbelief. "Why would I...? How could I...? Oh, my head..."

With that, the timid pegasus pony fainted. Angel quickly rushed to her side, trying to prod her awake.

"Oh dear. This might be worse than I thought," Discord pondered aloud. "I really hope that I'm wrong about this. Or at least I hope that Lunatic doesn't faint as well."

Philomena squawked a question.

"It's best if I explain back at the castle," said Discord. "For now, let's just say that things are not all that rosy here in Equestria..."

Pariah Panic

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Luminous Atonement Chapter 3:
Pariah Panic

When Fluttershy opened her eyes, she found that she wasn't at the Gates of Tartarus anymore. Instead, she was lying on a bed in Canterlot Castle, with Princess Luna watching over her. Outside, she thought she could hear ponies shouting.

"Are you alright?" the Princess of the Night asked.

"I-I think so," said Fluttershy, rubbing her eyes. "Where am I?"

"Why, you're at Canterlot Castle, my dear," said Discord, appearing out of nowhere.

"Canterlot Castle?" asked Fluttershy. Her eyes suddenly grew wide with panic. "Oh my goodness! Cerberus and Philomena! I should be watching them! I..."

"It's alright," Luna interrupted, raising her hoof. "Cerberus isn't planning to wander off anytime soon. As for Philomena..."

She then gave a whistle, and sure enough, the radiant phoenix swooped in, perching herself next to Fluttershy and nuzzling her with her beak. Fluttershy breathed a sigh of relief.

"Well, that's nice to know," she said. "Oh, and Angel?"

"Relax, relax," Discord assured her, holding up the little bunny with his snake tail as he flailed in the draconequus's grip. "I've got your cranky little friend right here, safe and sound."

He then tossed Angel over to Fluttershy, who caught him in her hooves.

"Well, I'm glad we're all safe," Fluttershy said. "But, what are we doing back here? What's going on?"

"Well, it's like this," said Discord. "Apparently, Lunatic here cannot end her night. Dawn should've broken hours ago and, well, I don't think I need to tell you what's wrong with this picture."

He snapped his fingers and a window wrenched itself from the wall and hovered before Fluttershy's eyes, carrying the view with it. Sure enough, the moon was still shining brightly in the sky, and the sun was nowhere in sight.

"Oh my," gasped Fluttershy, placing a hoof to her mouth. "What could've done this?"

"That's the million bit question right now," said Discord. "But as you can probably hear, everypony else thinks they have the answer."

Fluttershy perked up her ears, listening to the shouts from outside.

"This is an omen! Nightmare Moon has returned!"

"It's Discord's fault! He has corrupted her, just like he corrupted the Element Bearers!"

"Your Highness, you cannot simply ignore this! Those two must be punished!"

Fluttershy couldn't believe her ears. She turned to Princess Luna, whose expression drooped.

"Tia has been out there for hours trying to keep order," she said with a sigh. "After Discord tried to fix the problem, rumors quickly spread. Now everypony thinks that I'm Nightmare Moon again, and that Discord has corrupted me somehow."

Fluttershy shook her head. "Not everypony thinks that, Your Highness," she corrected. "I trust you and Discord, and I'm sure my friends do as well."

Angel folded his arms and gave Discord the evil eye.

"Well, most of my friends, anyway," Fluttershy added hastily.

Just then, Celestia walked in, her head hanging low.

"It didn't go too well, I take it," said Luna.

Celestia shook her head. "My subjects want answers when I have none to give them. They still think you and Discord should be held responsible for this."

"Somehow, I'm not surprised," said Discord, crossing his mismatched arms. "It seems that even in your world of order, ponies tend to behave irrationally, Princess."

Celestia raised her head and gave Discord a deadpan look. "You just can't resist the opportunity to take me down a peg, can you?"

"Hey, if I have to suffer, so should you," Discord replied, sticking out his forked tongue at Celestia. "Getting blamed for something I didn't do is fine, but blaming me when I tried to fix the problem? I have to say, I'm a bit insulted."

Luna stared at the ground and flattened her ears. "I must confess, Sis. I'm more scared than I am insulted. It was difficult to get ponies to accept me again, and now..."

She trailed off, tears in her eyes. Celestia walked over to her younger sister, draping one of her large, white wings over her back.

"It'll be alright, Luna," she said softly. "We'll find a way to fix this, I promise."

"Yeah, I don't want to ruin the moment or anything, but how do you propose to do that?" Discord inquired. "We don't even know what's going on. All we know is that Lunatic can't lower the moon, and that it hurts her when she tries. Well, that and Fluttershy's little expedition into Tartarus."

Celestia looked over at Fluttershy, confusion in her eyes. "What? Fluttershy, what's this about you going into Tartarus?"

Fluttershy curled into a little ball on the bed, shivering with fright.

"I-I don't know," she whimpered, her voice barely above a whisper as she avoided the princess' gaze. "I-I don't remember anything. P-please don't be mad at me..."

Angel pantomimed everything for the two princesses of Equestria. Luna raised an eyebrow.

"An old pegasus mare with bat wings?" she asked. "I'm not sure there's anypony in the Night Guard like that."

Angel folded his arms and tapped his foot, giving Discord a sideways glance.

"Look, if I told you once, I told you a thousand times!" Discord snarled in annoyance, his face changing to a shade of blue on its own accord. "None of this was my fault! I wouldn't dare do that to the first friend I ever had!"

"Besides which, I'm not sure how this is connected," Celestia mused. "Just because Fluttershy went into Tartarus doesn't mean she did anything while she was in there."

Angel stroked his chin for a moment, as if pondering the princess's words. Philomena squawked and cawed, and Fluttershy's face turned red.

"I-I was really doing that?" she said meekly. "Oh, I feel so stupid. Imagine me, going into the only place scarier than the Everfree Forest just to rescue an animal that wasn't even there."

Philomena patted the pegasus with her wing to try and comfort her, while Angel simply cast his gaze out the window and shrugged.

"Hmm. Something's fishy about this," said Discord skeptically. "Hang on a minute, I'll be right back."

He snapped his fingers and disappeared. In a few short seconds, he returned.

"Alright, everypony. Good news bad news time," he announced. "The bad news is that Orthrus is not where he's supposed to be."

Celestia's eyes went wide for a moment. Fluttershy yelped and hid under the covers, trembling in fear. Luna cast her eyes downward and bit her lip.

"I thought as much," the younger princess muttered darkly.

"What do you mean?" Celestia asked.

"Before I could cast my spell, I heard this sinister howl," Luna explained. "I knew I heard it somewhere before, but up until now, I didn't know where. As much as I hate to admit it, there's no other explanation. Orthrus has broken out of Tartarus, and has cursed me to prevent the dawn from breaking."

"B-but I didn't let him out," Fluttershy insisted, her speech muffled by the covers. "I couldn't have. I don't even..."

"Calm down, Fluttershy. That's the good news," said Discord. "Cerberus is not blaming you for anything. Or me, for that matter."

Everypony gave the Master of Chaos a blank stare.

"What? It sounded like good news to me," he said with a shrug.

"Right, now that we've gotten that sorted out, what are we going to do about this?" asked Celestia.

Fluttershy tentatively poked her head out from under the covers, feeling a bit more relaxed. "Well, maybe Discord could help," she suggested. "He could use his magic to send Orthrus back to Tartarus."

"Okay, two problems with that," said Discord. "One, there's no fun in it. Two, that's just a conspiracy theory waiting to happen, and while I like the chaos and paranoia that comes with conspiracy theories, that sort of theory is going to lead to me being turned to stone again. And while I can't speak for anypony else, I certainly don't want that."

Luna stared down at the ground and pondered for a moment. When she looked up, a burning fire of determination could be seen in her teal eyes. "There's only one thing for it, then."

"Which is?" asked Celestia.

"I have to go confront Orthrus and set things right."

Celestia gave her sister a concerned look. "Are you sure you want to do this, Sister? I could always send..."

"Don't try to talk me out of it, Celie," said Luna, cutting across her sister. "Orthrus has placed this curse upon me. Not Equestria, not you, me. And if you cannot clear my name with your words, then I must do so with my actions."

"How very noble of you, Lunatic," said Discord, summoning a trio of suitcases. "So, when are we going?"

Luna raised an eyebrow. "Excuse me?"

"Well, I have a bone to pick with your mangy mutt, too," said Discord. "I'm curious as to how he's countering my magic."

"You just said you didn't want to spark controversy," said Luna.

"Oh, right. And you going out in public to embark on this quest is just the thing to calm down those paranoid fools," Discord countered.

Luna tried to respond, but found that the draconequus was right. "Ugh, fine," she said begrudgingly. "But please try to behave yourself."

"No promises," said Discord slyly.

As the two talked, Angel hopped over to his owner and nudged her.

"Hmm?" Fluttershy asked. "What is it, Angel?"

Angel gestured with his little arms.

"Oh, me? No, I couldn't. I'd probably just get in the way."

Angel gestured again.

"You really think I could help?"

Angel nodded.

"Well, I don't know. It sounds pretty scary..."

Angel palmed his face. For Fluttershy, this was nothing new. He then hopped on over to Luna and tapped her foreleg with his foot.

"Hmm?" Luna asked, looking down. "What do you want, little one?"

Angel pointed over to Fluttershy.

"She wants to help as well, you say?" said Luna, stroking her chin with her hoof. "Well, I don't know..."

"Oh, come on, Lunatic," said Discord, nudging the starry-maned mare with his lion's elbow. "The more the merrier, as they say. I think Fluttershy here deserves to find the truth as much as we do, don't you?"

"And what of my sister?" said Luna, raising an eyebrow. "Does she not deserve to know?"

"Well, uh, she already has her hooves full trying to maintain order among the panicked masses," said Discord sheepishly. "Isn't that right, Princess?"

"Maybe so," Celestia admitted. "However, I'm still worried about you, Sister. There's no telling what you might face out there, especially with nearly everypony against you. Which is why I'm sending Philomena to keep an eye on you. Is that alright with you, Philomena?"

Philomena squawked and nodded, flying from Fluttershy's side and perching herself on Luna's back. Luna scowled.

"Tia, I do not need a foalsitter," the lunar princess growled. "I can take care of myself."

"I promise you, Luna. She won't get in the way," said Celestia. "Just think of her as another companion."

Luna sighed. "You're not going to budge on this, are you?"

Celestia gave her sister a knowing smirk. Luna sighed again.

"Alright, fine," said she. "And I suppose you can come with me too, Fluttershy. If anything, you can keep Discord here under control."

"You do realize I'm standing right here, don't you?" said Discord. He then flew over to Fluttershy. "Come on, Fluttershy. It'll be fun."

Fluttershy looked up at Discord, a curious look on her face. "Fun?"

"Well, maybe not your exact definition of the word," Discord conceded. "But I think Lunatic may have a point. I'll probably need somepony to keep me from getting bored. You know what tends to happen when I get bored, after all." He then winked and nudged the timid pegasus with his elbow.

Fluttershy paused to ponder for a moment. "Well, when you put it that way, I suppose I could help out. I mean, if that's okay."

"Believe me, Fluttershy. Nothing would make me happier," said Discord with a smile.

"Well, I'm glad that's all settled," said Celestia.

"I suppose," said Luna, although she still wasn't keen on the idea. "I just need to get some things from my room. We'll meet back in the throne room."

"Don't keep us waiting, Lunatic," said Discord playfully.

Luna rolled her eyes. "Please don't make me regret this," she groaned as she left the room.

***

"Are you sure you have everything?" Celestia asked.

Luna gave an exasperated sigh as she donned her black cloak. "I told you, Sis. I can take care of myself. I have all of the supplies I need: Tomes from the Canterlot Archives, money, and provisions. And thanks to Discord, we won't be running out of anything anytime soon."

"Just making sure," said Celestia. She then draped a wing over her sister and nuzzled her with her muzzle. "Be safe, Luna."

"I will," said Luna with a solemn nod. She then turned up her hood and trotted over to the others. "Alright, I'm ready."

"Alrighty then," said Discord, donning a conductor's hat. "Please have your tickets ready!"

"Tickets?" asked Fluttershy. "What tickets?"

In a flash of light, golden tickets appeared in front of Fluttershy, Luna, and Philomena.

"Those tickets," said Discord, punching each one with his fang. "Is that everyone?"

As if in response, Angel bounded in, bouncing into Fluttershy's mane.

"Oh, you want to come too, Angel?" the pink-maned pegasus asked.

Angel nodded rapidly, and then leered at Discord. Discord sighed.

"Alright, fine," he said reluctantly, punching another ticket for Angel. "I suppose he'll just follow us, anyway. Now then, all aboard the Discord Express! Next stop, wild adventure, dark mysteries, and a grouchy two-headed fleabag! Allllllllll aboard!"

With a snap of his fingers, he disappeared along with the others. Celestia looked on and sighed.

"I'll always be watching over you, dear sister. Even in the dead of night," she whispered to the empty air. "Stay strong."

A Great and Powerful Pit Stop

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Luminous Atonement Chapter 4:
A Great and Powerful Pit Stop

"Fear not, everypony! For while Nightmare Moon has indeed returned, she is no match for the Great and Powerful Trixie, the most humble and heroic unicorn in all of Equestria!"

No one cared that this was a contradiction. As long as somepony was standing up to the new eternal night, it didn't matter who it was. Everyone around the illusionist's wagon cheered and stomped their hooves.

"Thank you, thank you!" said Trixie, taking several bows. "And now, the Great and Powerful Trixie must retire to her study to prepare for the magnificent battle ahead. As long as Trixie has a say in it, the dawn shall..."

Her speech was interrupted by a sound backstage. The audience became curious.

"Um, that must be a letter from Princess Celestia herself, asking for Trixie's aid," Trixie said nervously, twiddling her hooves. "Uh, Trixie will be right back!"

Before the audience could react, she disappeared in a puff a smoke.

***

When Fluttershy opened her eyes, everything was pitch black.

"Um, Discord?" she said meekly. "Where exactly are we?"

Discord stroked his goatee in thought. "Hmm, let me get back to you on that," said he. "Philomena, if you would?"

The phoenix obliged, spreading her wings and generating a powerful illumination. By Philomena's light, Discord unfurled an upside-down map and began reading it carefully. As he did so, there was a puff of smoke, and a particularly angry unicorn dressed in a magician's outfit appeared.

"And just what is the meaning of this?!" she barked, making a beeline to the intruders. "Trixie demands an explanation for this—"

Before she could get any further, a zipper appeared on her mouth and Discord zipped it closed with his snake tail.

"Could you be a dear and hold that thought for just a moment?" he said sweetly. "We're trying to figure something out here."

Recognizing the Master of Chaos, Trixie's anger quickly dissolved into fear. She tried to scream, but was prevented from doing so thanks to the zipper on her mouth. She continued to shout muffled protests as Discord continued looking over the map.

"I am truly sorry about this," Fluttershy apologized to the frightened magician. "We won't be long. I hope..."

"Hmm. Tch, I knew I should've taken that left turn at Baltimare," Discord mused.

"Discord, we didn't take any turns," Luna growled, clearly annoyed by this turn of events. "Also, are you reading that map upside-down?"

Discord peered over the map at the cloaked alicorn. "In the immortal words of Chancellor Puddinghead: The Earth is round. There is no up or down," he said plainly, as if this were self-evident.

"Forget I asked," Luna groaned, rolling her eyes. She then walked over to Trixie, who was still trying to scream. "Listen, we're not going to hurt you. If you promise not to scream, we'll explain everything. Does that sound fair?"

Trixie paused for a moment, and then nodded.

"Good," said Luna with a smile. "Discord?"

"Hmm? Oh, right. Sure," said Discord, seemingly distracted as he snapped his fingers. Sure enough, the zipper disappeared from Trixie's lips. She tried to scream for help, but found that no sound came from her mouth.

"What?!" she exclaimed, her voice still barely above a whisper. "What have you done to Trixie's voice?!"

"Calm down. I just lowered your volume a bit," said Discord with a dismissive wave of his lion paw. "You were a bit too trusting back there, Lunatic. It's obvious she's just as paranoid as everypony else. She has no reason to trust us."

"Maybe because we appeared in the middle of her, room without any form of warning," said Luna, finally taking a look around. "Where are we, anyway?"

"We have absolutely no idea, and that is why you're so cross," Discord said nonchalantly.

"Trixie will have you know that you are currently in Trixie's wagon," said Trixie. "And also, you have just interrupted Trixie's speech to rally the people in the wake of Nightmare Moon's return!"

Luna raised an eyebrow at the boastful unicorn. "So, you were the one spreading rumors about Nightmare Moon, were you?"

Trixie squeaked, frightened by Luna's intimidating presence. "N-no. No, I wasn't," she whimpered. "I-I just heard it from some other ponies. Honest! Besides, it's true, isn't it?"

Luna sighed. "Look, just take a deep breath and calm down. We have a lot of explaining to do..."

***

"Do you really expect Trixie to believe all that?" Trixie asked as Luna concluded her story.

"Um, it would help a lot if you did," said Fluttershy, meekly twiddling her hooves. Angel poked his head out of his owner's mane and rolled his eyes.

"Well, Trixie still thinks your story is a bit too remarkable to be true," said Trixie. "For one, if you're really trying to find this Orthrus character, why didn't you have Discord teleport you right to him?"

"Because that would make too much sense, and it wouldn't be fun for him," said Luna.

"She knows me so well," Discord added whimsically.

"Also, what of Nightmare Moon?" Trixie inquired. "Is she back or isn't she?"

"She isn't," Luna insisted.

"Then why isn't she defending herself from these accusations?"

She is, Luna thought with a sigh. "Everypony is panicking right now. If Princess Luna came out to address them, it would just cause more problems."

Trixie stroked her chin in thought. "Well, Trixie still has a few reservations about your story, but being the generous and kind-hearted pony she is, she'll give you the benefit of the doubt. For now."

"That's all I ask," said Luna. "Now, if you'll just allow us to get our bearings, we'll get out of your mane."

"Fine," said Trixie with a huff. "But don't take too long. Trixie might need to address another crowd any minute now."

Luna nodded, and took out a tome from her saddlebag and cracked it open. She whistled for Philomena, who flew over to the lunar princess and provided her with better illumination.

"Um, what are you reading, Your High—? Oof!"

Fluttershy began to ask Luna a question, but was interrupted by a prod from Angel. Luna gave Fluttershy a look, and the timid pegasus simply shrugged and chuckled nervously.

"We need some clues as to where Orthrus decided to hide himself," said Luna, turning her attention back to the book. "If Discord refuses to take us directly to him, we just need to find him the old fashioned way."

"Out of curiosity, how is that book going to help?" Discord asked.

"Nightmare Moon's allies were few and far between, but she had them," said Luna. "And with Orthrus's actions spreading rumors about Nightmare Moon, there is no doubt in my mind that they will be involved as well. They may not be cooperative, but they may be the best leads we have for tracking Orthrus down, if not our only leads. Ah, here we are."

She pointed to a page with her hoof, and everyone crowded around.

"What is it?" asked Fluttershy. "Did you find something?"

"Indeed I did," said Luna. "The Furies."

"The Furies?"

"It's a story supposedly lost to the ages," said Luna, reading directly from the book. "According to this, the Furies were three pegasi who served in the royal court a thousand years ago. They were more loyal to Princess Luna than they were to Celestia, and were enraged when their favored leader was banished to the moon. In an act of protest, they traveled across Equestria, blotting out the sun in every town they visited with dark storm clouds."

"Ah, the fire of rebellion. It really takes me back," said Discord with a nostalgic sigh. "So, what did Ms. Picky Pants do about it?"

"Nothing."

Discord raised an eyebrow. "Nothing?"

"Princess Celestia knew that what they were doing was wrong," explained Luna. "But by the same token, she understood their grievance. After all, sending her sister to the moon was not an easy decision for her to make. She decreed that the pegasi had a right to protest as long as it remained peaceful. They didn't take it well."

"Why not?" asked Fluttershy. "She wasn't punishing them."

"They felt that Celestia was unjust in her actions, and that she must admit to her folly," said Luna. "So when she refused to give in to their demands, they began to get violent. Instead of just a grey sky, the three pegasi brought with them a campaign of harsh justice. All across Equestria, they descended upon town after town, forcing their will on the public. Every infraction of injustice, no matter how petty or arbitrary, they punished with a vengeance. This campaign earned them the title of the Furies."

"Well, surely Celestia didn't ignore that," said Discord.

"Indeed she did not," said Luna. "Within a matter of days, the Furies were captured and put on trial. They were sentenced to spend the rest of their days in the Canterlot Caves for their actions."

"Meaning, what exactly?" said Discord, not sure what the princess was getting at. "I thought you said they would help us. It's going to be pretty hard for them unless pegasi live to be a thousand years old."

"Well, that's just it," said Luna. "Nopony knows what became of the Furies. Some say their story ends with their conviction. Others say they escaped the caves and traveled to parts unknown. And there's only one way to find out for sure."

"And, what's that?" asked Fluttershy.

"We must ask the Kraken."

Discord's brow furrowed. "Isn't that just a myth?"

"All of Nightmare Moon's allies tend to gain that reputation," said Luna. "But trust me, he's real. If I remember correctly, he still lives in a cove just off the coast of Norneigh."

"Which is how far?" inquired Fluttershy.

Luna paused for a moment. "Good question," said she. "Trixie, where is your wagon set up right now?"

"Hmm? Oh, we're in Fillydelphia," said Trixie.

"Right," said Luna. "Discord, hand me the map. Right side up, if you please."

Discord cast his eyes upward, a sly grin on his face. "You don't want me to do that," he said.

"Why, is the whole world going to flip upside-down if you flip it over?"

Discord sulked. "Well, now you just ruined the surprise. I hope you're happy," he said with a pout.

Luna rubbed the bridge of her nose with her hoof. "Just give me the map, will you?"

Discord shrugged and handed the map over as instructed. Luna read it over carefully.

"Now, let's see," she mused. "We should start out heading south to the Everfree Forest. From there, we can rest up in Ponyville, then follow the river north to the Valley of Dragons. That should take us right to..."

"Um, I don't mean to interrupt, but what did you say about dragons?" asked Fluttershy nervously.

"The Valley of Dragons," said Luna. "We need to go through there in order to reach Norneigh."

"Um, do we really have to?" said Fluttershy. "I-I mean, isn't there any other way? Couldn't Discord just...?"

"Nope. It would make too much sense," said Discord, cutting across Fluttershy. "Why? What's the matter?"

"I-I..." Fluttershy stammered, swallowing over and over again. Angel palmed his face and pantomimed what his owner was trying to say.

"Oh dear," said Discord. "That is a bit of a problem."

"Fluttershy, there are parts of this quest that we're all afraid of," said Luna, gingerly placing her foreleg around the shivering pony. "But we need to face them, or else Orthrus will win. Okay?"

Fluttershy still wasn't fully convinced, but she still managed to give a timid nod. "O-okay," she said meekly.

"Well, that's settled," said Discord. "Now, let's get a move on."

"Finally," said Trixie, rolling her eyes. "The Great and Powerful Trixie will consider your words in her next speech, although she still has a few reservations about your story."

"Thank you," said Luna. "We would be most delighted if you did so. Farewell."

She then lead the way as the entire entourage made their way out the back of Trixie's wagon, leaving a most perplexed unicorn behind.

Ashes to Ashes

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Luminous Atonement Chapter 5:
Ashes to Ashes

"This has to be the work of Nightmare Moon."

"Why isn't Celestia doing anything about this?"

"I heard that Princess Luna was corrupted by Discord."

"Mommy, why is it still dark? I'm scared."

Luna's heart felt heavy. As she and her allies traveled the streets of Fillydelphia, all she could hear were the rumors of Nightmare Moon's return spreading. Everypony was either scared or angry, sometimes both. She had to wonder if things were fairing any better in Canterlot, where her sister was her only staunch defender.

"Oh, don't look so sad," said Fluttershy. "Once we get to Ponyville, we'll be among friends. I'm sure my friends will believe us."

"I certainly hope you're right, Fluttershy. If only because these rumors seem to be getting worse and worse," echoed Discord's voice from above. The two mares looked up, and saw that the draconequus had taken the form of a constellation in the sky.

"Subtle," said Luna, her voice dripping with sarcasm. "I'm sure nopony will notice you."

"Why, Lunatic. I'm hurt," said Discord. "Do you honestly think I didn't take the necessary precautions? You and Fluttershy are the only ones who can hear me."

Luna was in no mood to argue. "Let's just get to the Everfree Forest. We have a lot of ground to cover."

"Um, Discord? What did you say about the rumors getting worse?" Fluttershy inquired.

"Hmm? Oh, nothing," said Discord calmly. "Just that ponies are wondering why Celestia hasn't sent her sister back to the moon yet."

"Oh," said Fluttershy, regretting her question. "Well, then let's hurry to Ponyville."

"Agreed," said Luna. She then stopped in her tracks. "Uh oh."

The path that led to the Everfree Forest was being guarded by two unicorn stallions wearing police uniforms.

"Okay, apparently we didn't get the memo that Fillydelphia was under marshal law," said Discord.

"This has to be the work of the local government," Luna mused. "Tia wouldn't have made such a decree."

"Well, what are we going to do?" asked Fluttershy, looking up at Discord.

"Fluttershy, you can't expect me to fix all of your problems," said Discord, folding his arms. "Especially since somebody else has other ideas."

"Somebody else? What do you...?"

Before she could finish, Philomena flew over to the patrol ponies. She positioned herself between the two stallions and began tickling their noses with her wings. The unicorns soon devolved into fits of laughter, and Philomena flew off into the forest, beckoning the others to follow.

"And that's why she ranks above you in my book," Discord told Luna.

"I didn't ask," Luna said flatly. She then sighed. "Why did Tia insist on her joining us? It's bad enough that Discord doesn't take anything seriously. Between him and that mischief maker of a bird, I'm going to get a splitting headache long before we reach Orthrus."

"I'm going to pretend I didn't hear that," said Discord. "Now come on, Lunatic. The way is open, and we've got no time to lose."

The stars then scattered as Discord reappeared in his normal form, standing next to Philomena. Luna rolled her eyes and followed after them, with Fluttershy and Angel not far behind.

***

The trek through the Everfree Forest was not all that pleasant. Discord's deer antler and goat horn kept getting caught in the high branches, eventually causing him to make it so that the trees would move out of his way as he walked. Meanwhile, Philomena was having a bit of fun with Angel, brushing him with her feathers and cackling as she flew about.

"Philomena, behave yourself," Fluttershy scolded. "What would Princess Celestia say?"

"I don't know, Fluttershy. I think she has a point," said Discord, stroking his goatee with his eagle talon. "That rabbit of yours has been nothing but a grump this entire trip. Almost like somepony else I know."

"I hope you're not implying me," Luna said. "Keep in mind, there's a reason I'm so grumpy."

"Believe me, Lunatic. I'm no happier about any of this than you are," said Discord. "But stressing yourself out like this isn't going to make everything better. If anything, it'll just make things worse."

Philomena seemed to squawk in agreement as she perched herself on Fluttershy's back, lightly batting Angel's head with her wing. Angel looked up at the phoenix and glowered.

"Actually, I think Discord might be right, Your Highness," said Fluttershy. "I know things don't look good right now, but we shouldn't give up hope."

Luna opened her mouth to reply, but stopped herself as she processed Fluttershy's words. "I suppose you're right, Fluttershy," she said with a sigh. "I guess I'm just..."

She was interrupted by a howl echoing through the forest. As the sound continued to resonate, she stopped in her tracks, gripping her head and moaning.

"Princess Luna? What's wrong?" Fluttershy asked, quickly dashing to the alicorn's side.

"I-I don't know," Luna grunted, still reeling from the pain. "Th-that didn't sound like Orthrus, but..."

Another howl rang out, and Luna gasped as another jolt of pain racked her body.

"M-maybe we should get moving," said Fluttershy nervously. "We can't stay in one place for too long."

"I-I agree," said Luna, struggling to her feet. Another howl was heard, and she collapsed again. "Augh! It hurts!"

"I'm beginning to sense a pattern here," said Discord. "Ugh, never thought I'd hear myself say that."

"Yes, I've noticed too," said Fluttershy. "But I don't think we have the time to think about that. If those howls are what I think they are, we really can't stay here."

As the howls persisted and Luna continued to suffer, a pungent odor filled the air. Angel was the first to notice, and began gagging.

"Oh, Angel!" Fluttershy exclaimed, noticing her pet's complaint. "Is something wrong?"

Angel continued gagging and pinching his nose. Before Fluttershy could inquire anymore, the smell hit her own nostrils and her eyes widened.

"Your Highness, we have to get out of here now!" she said, panicking as she tried to get the princess to her feet. "That howl, it's a— It's a—"

A low, deep-throated snarl interrupted her train of thought, causing her mane to stand up on end. Slowly, she turned and came face-to-face with a fearsome creature made entirely of wood. As soon as it fully emerged from the shadows, it reared back and let loose a roar that shook the skies.

"TIMBERWOLF!"

Scared out of her wits, Fluttershy darted as far away from the beast as fast as her legs could carry her. But she soon found herself running straight into another one. Rushing back to Luna's side, she realized that they were surrounded by an entire pack of timberwolves.

"C-come on, Your Highness! Let's go!" said Fluttershy, her voice a high-pitched nervous whisper. A few of the wolves howled, forcing Luna to her knees.

"I-I can't!" Luna yelled, writhing in agony and clamping her ears down with her hooves. "I-it hurts! I-I can't get those howls out of my head!"

"Oh no, oh no!" Fluttershy yelped. "Wh-what are we going to do?!"

Discord smirked. "As if you really have to ask," he said with a snap of his fingers.

Suddenly, the timberwolves began to fall apart on their own accord. The branches that made up their bodies joined together, reforming into a large statue of the Master of Chaos himself. Discord looked over his handiwork as if he were a sculptor looking over his latest masterpiece.

"I'll admit, it's not my best work," he mused. "But considering what I had to work with, it didn't turn out half bad."

Fluttershy breathed a sigh of relief. "Thanks, Discord. I don't know what we would've done without you."

"Probably fly away," said Discord with a shrug. "You do have wings, remember?"

Fluttershy blushed. "Oh, right," she said, thoroughly embarrassed.

"Well, we shouldn't dally any longer," said Luna, regaining her composure. "We must make haste to Ponyville. There's no telling what— Ah!"

A ghostly howl interrupted her thoughts, causing her to stagger once again. The wood that made up Discord's statue began to glow an eerie green color as they began to rearrange themselves again.

"D-Discord?" Fluttershy asked apprehensively

"I, honestly don't know what to make of this," said a very perplexed Discord. "I thought I lifted that stupid enchantment. If this is more of Orthrus's doing, he's really asking for it."

"W-we shouldn't be worrying about that right now!" squeaked Fluttershy. "We need to get out of here!"

But it was too late. The twigs and branches had already formed a giant timberwolf that towered over all of them. It let out a roar that dissolved into an ear-splitting howl, which only caused Luna more pain.

"GET OUT OF OUR HEAD!" Luna wailed in her Canterlot voice as the pain paralyzed her to her very core. "DISCORD, WE BESEECH THEE! THOU MUST..."

Just then, a loud screech drowned out the timberwolf's howl and interrupted Luna's cries. The Princess of the Night looked up, her mouth dropping open in astonishment.

"Philomena?"

The regal phoenix flew in front of the large creature, spreading her wings and blinding it with her plumage. The timberwolf roared, recoiling back and shaking itself. It then snapped at the bird with its powerful jaws. Philomena darted out of the way and began flying circles around the wolf's head. The timberwolf snarled in annoyance, swiping and snapping at the phoenix. Each and every time, Philomena was just out of reach, until finally the wooden beast slapped her out of the sky with its paw.

"Philomena!"

Fluttershy made a mad dash towards the falling phoenix and managed to catch her in her hooves. She looked down Philomena, tears in her eyes.

"Wh-what in Equestria were you thinking, Philomena?" she asked.

Panting, Philomena pointed upward with her wing. Fluttershy looked up, and gasped as she saw that the timberwolf's paw had been set ablaze. The large wooden creature roared in pain as the fire spread up its leg and all across its body. Yipping frantically, it bounded off into the distance.

"Okay, I think I see where this is going," said Discord, snapping his fingers. Oddly enough, nothing seemed to change.

"Nngh. What did you just do?" asked Luna, slowly recovering.

"Oh, not much. I just made the forest fireproof," said Discord with a shrug.

Luna looked around. Sure enough, the rest of the forest remained unscathed while the timberwolf still burned brightly in the distance.

"Huh, wow," she said, genuinely impressed. "A real act of benevolence on your part. I never thought I'd see the day."

"Let's not get the wrong impression here, Lunatic," said Discord. "You and I are being blamed for enough as it is. We don't need anything else adding fuel to the fire, pun very much intended."

"Whatever you say," said Luna with a smirk, finally getting to her feet. She then walked over to Fluttershy and Philomena, looking down at her sister's pet phoenix. Philomena looked back at the lunar princess and cawed weakly.

"She wants you to come closer," Fluttershy translated.

Curious, Luna leaned in closer. Gingerly, Philomena reached out and began tickling the princess's muzzle with her wing. Luna's expression quickly changed from confusion, to annoyance, to mirth.

"I-it looks like you're going to be fine," Luna said between giggles. She then smiled warmly. "I guess I owe you an apology. I thought you were just going to be a nuisance, but what you did back there, well, it was really brave."

Philomena cawed.

"She said she was just looking after you, just as Princess Celestia told her to do," said Fluttershy with a smile of her own.

Luna chuckled. "You have me there," she said. She then nuzzled the bird with her muzzle. "Thank you, Philomena."

Discord cleared his throat. "I hate to ruin the moment, but perhaps we should get going."

Luna blushed and regained her composure. "Right, of course," said she.

"Will you be alright, Your Highness?" Fluttershy asked.

"I think so," said Luna. "Although I'm still not sure what that was all about. Why did those howls cause me pain?"

"What I want to know is how those timberwolves resisted my magic," added Discord. "I could've sworn I had gotten rid of that enchantment."

"Well, we can think about that later," said Fluttershy, creating a makeshift basket to carry the wounded Philomena in. "Right now, we should hurry and get to Ponyville."

"Agreed," said Luna with a nod. "Lead the way, Fluttershy."

Fluttershy nodded, and trotted onward into the forest as Luna and Discord followed at her heels. Unbeknownst to them all, a shadowy figure watched as they disappeared into the undergrowth, and then took off into the sky...

Paranoia in Ponyville

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Luminous Atonement Chapter 6:
Paranoia in Ponyville

Just as Luna and the others reached the path that connected the Everfree Forest to Ponyville, Luna motioned for everyone to halt.

"Something wrong, Lunatic?" asked Discord. "Fluttershy already said that we probably don't have anything to worry about here."

"One cannot be too cautious," said Luna. "After that checkpoint in Fillydelphia, I want to make sure that we can enter town safely."

"Um, I actually doubt that, Your Majesty," said Fluttershy. "Ponyville has always been a very open town. We would never organize things like that."

"Even so," Luna said firmly.

Fluttershy exchanged glances with Discord, and the two of them shared a shrug.

"I don't think she's going to budge on this, Fluttershy," said Discord. "You'd better prove her wrong."

"I, suppose," said Fluttershy timidly. "W-wait right here, Your Highness."

Tentatively, Fluttershy tiptoed out of the forest and onto the path that led to Ponyville. She glanced around left and right, but nopony could be seen. She breathed a sigh of relief.

"See? Nothing to be afraid of," she called back to Luna. "Now, let's get..."

"Fluttershy!"

A familiar voice interrupted Fluttershy, and she yelped in surprise. Zooming in from the air was none other than her friend Rainbow Dash, with little Scootaloo keeping pace on her scooter. Rainbow landed in front of Fluttershy, concern in her magenta eyes.

"Thank Celestia you're okay," said the cyan pegasus. "What the hay happened to you?"

"I-it's a long story," said Fluttershy. "I-I'm sorry I made you worry. How are things in Ponyville?"

Rainbow Dash sighed and shook her head. "Not good. Twilight's doing her best to keep everypony calm, but there's only so much she can do. All we heard from Princess Celestia is not to believe the rumors of Nightmare Moon's return."

"Which is why I had this awesome idea to stop the rumors before they start!" Scootaloo pipped up. "Cutie Mark Crusaders Rumor Police!"

Rainbow smirked. "As you can see, not everypony is mad at Princess Luna and Discord," she continued. "Personally, I'm not buying it. I mean, didn't anypony else see that big tower holding up the sun before it collapsed? That had to be Discord, and it didn't look like he was trying to bring about eternal night to me."

Fluttershy smiled. "I'm glad to hear that," she said, turning back to the forest. "It's alright, you two. It's safe."

Rainbow Dash's eyes widened as Luna and Discord emerged from the forest. She and Scootaloo were left speechless, not knowing how to respond.

"Well, that's a fine greeting," said Discord with a huff. "I thought you said you believed us."

"I-I do," insisted Rainbow. "I, just didn't know you two would be here. What's going on?"

"As Fluttershy said, it's a long story," said Luna. "We can explain everything once we get to Ponyville."

Rainbow looked over at Scootaloo, sheepishly brushing back her myriad-colored mane. "Yeah, you guys actually have pretty bad timing. Twilight's giving a speech to Ponyville right now, and I don't think it would make it any easier for her if..."

"Oh, don't worry about me," Discord interjected, snapping his fingers. He disappeared, and reappeared as a constellation. "I'll just be watching from up here."

"And I am already disguised," Luna added. "Please, take us to Twilight Sparkle."

Rainbow shrugged. "Alright, whatever you say. C'mon, Scoot."

With that, the two pegasi led Luna and the others into Ponyville.

***

"Everypony, I ask that you all remain calm."

As they arrived at Twilight Sparkle's house, Fluttershy and Luna could barely see the studious mare over the crowd of ponies that gathered outside her door. There was a nervous tension in the air as mumbled cross-conversation and general mutterings were heard.

"Now, I have been in contact with Princess Celestia," Twilight continued. "She says that everything is under control."

"What about the rumors?" asked a stallion in the audience.

Twilight sighed. "I already said this countless times, Filthy Rich. Nightmare Moon has not returned. All of the rumors about her and Discord are lies."

"Then what's really going on?" asked another voice. "We have a right to know, don't we?"

"I understand your frustrations, everypony," said Twilight. "But the truth of the matter is we still don't have all the facts yet."

"Well, when are you going to get all the facts, huh?"

"This kind of thing takes time. I ask that everypony be patient."

"Quit stalling for time, Sparkle! We want to know the truth!"

"I'm telling you the truth," Twilight insisted. "You just have to..."

"There's another rumor going around that Princess Luna is afraid of us," another pony interrupted. "It just came in from Fillydelphia."

"Well, I personally don't blame her," said a familiar rustic voice. "I mean, how would you feel if all of Equestria was callin' for your head, huh?"

Miserable, Luna answered mentally, heaving a great sigh.

"And why are you so quick to defend her, Applejack?" asked another pony.

"What in tarnation are you implyin'? I don't know any more about this than any of you."

"I think it's because you support that silly little Rumor Police your sister organized."

"Hey, you leave the Rumor Police out of this, Diamond Tiara! We're only trying to help!"

"Now now, Sweetie Belle. Let's try to calm down before you say something you'll regret, alright darling?"

"Ponies, please..."

But Twilight's voice was lost in the argument and cross-conversation. Sighing in frustration, she went back into her house and slammed the door.

"Oh my," was all Fluttershy could say about the spectacle unfolding before her eyes.

"Well, at least it's better than Fillydelphia," said Discord with a shrug. "We have some supporters here, after all."

"That still doesn't mean much," Luna sighed. "We should probably go."

"Oh, on the contrary," said Discord with a sly grin. "I think our uptight little friend deserves an explanation, don't you?"

Luna mulled over the question for a moment. "I, suppose you're right," she relented. "But how will we..."

"Reach her?" said Discord, finishing Luna's thought. "Not a problem."

***

"It still looks pretty bad, huh?" said Spike.

Twilight gave her assistant a sorrowful look as she paced back and forth. "I don't get it, Spike. Why is everypony doubting us? Princess Celestia would never lie to them."

"Yes, paranoia has a nasty habit of making ponies behave irrationally, don't you find?"

Twilight perked up at the familiar, smooth sounding voice that came seemingly from nowhere. When she turned around to find the speaker, she fell over in surprise. There stood Discord, Fluttershy, and Princess Luna, all in her library without any rhyme or reason.

"Oh my goodness!" exclaimed Fluttershy, rushing to her friend's side. "I'm so sorry, Twilight. We didn't mean to startle you."

"I-it's fine," said Twilight as Fluttershy helped her to her feet. "Princess Celestia actually told me to expect you all."

"That sounds like Tia," said Luna with a smile. "Always one step ahead."

"It sounds like Ponyville is pretty divided right now," said Fluttershy.

"You could say that," said Twilight. "I've been trying to keep order, but the rumors just keep spreading. And the worst part is Ponyville's not alone."

"I know," said Luna somberly. "We just came from Fillydelphia. It was more or less the same there, only not as much support."

"So, what exactly has been going on?" Twilight inquired. "I've gotten some details from Princess Celestia, but she still insists that she doesn't have all the facts."

Discord snapped his fingers, and Twilight suddenly felt an easy chair pull in from under her. She landed in the chair with a plop, and a teacup and teapot appeared in her hooves.

"I suggest you get comfortable," Discord said, sitting in a chair of his own and pouring himself some tea. "It's quite a tale..."

***

"So, you think Orthrus is behind this?" Twilight asked as the story concluded.

"I don't think, Twilight Sparkle. I know," Luna said firmly. "I know what I heard before I cast my spell, and it was Orthrus's howl."

Twilight placed a hoof to her chin. "Hmm. No wonder it's taking so long to get all the facts," she mused.

"What're you talking about, Twi?" asked Spike. "I think it's pretty clear-cut."

"There are still some problems with the story," said Twilight. "First of all, Fluttershy's expedition into Tartarus. Even if we are to accept that Orthrus is the one who hypnotized her, it still doesn't explain that bat-winged pegasus she met."

"I-I keep telling you. I don't remember what happened," said Fluttershy, feeling very uncomfortable.

"Second of all, your encounter with the timberwolves is equally baffling," Twilight continued. "The howls I think I can deduce. It might be part of Orthrus's curse."

"How do you mean?" Luna asked.

"From what I know about Orthrus, he likes to assert his dominance," Twilight explained. "He probably made it so that whenever you hear a howl, you feel a certain level of discomfort. He's trying to break you."

Luna closed her eyes and bit her lip. "I'm sorry I asked," she mumbled.

"Anyway, as I was saying," said Twilight. "The most perplexing part of the story is Discord's magic being countered. Now, you claim that you lifted the enchantment on the wood that makes up the timberwolves' bodies, correct?"

"That's what I remember," said Discord with a nod.

Twilight furrowed her brow. "Then the timberwolves should not have reformed like you say they did. As it stands, there are still some holes in this story that need to be addressed."

"But you believe us, right?" asked Luna.

"Of course, Your Highness," said Twilight with a firm nod. "I never doubted you for a second."

Luna smiled as she became misty-eyed. "You have no idea how happy that makes me, Twilight Sparkle," she said.

"I'll be sure to let my friends know your side of the story, too," said Twilight. "They all support you as well, but I feel the more information we have, the more we can fight against these rumors."

"Thank you ever so much, Twilight Sparkle," said Luna, bowing her head. "It seems I once again find myself in your debt."

"It's nothing, really," said Twilight, her face turning a bit red. "I wish I could do more, but I already have my hooves full trying to keep Ponyville from tearing itself apart."

"We understand," said Fluttershy with a nod. "We're grateful for any help you can provide." She then stood up. "On that note, we should get going. Philomena here got hurt pretty badly fighting that timberwolf, and I need to nurse her back to health."

"Are you sure you can handle that?" Twilight inquired, raising an eyebrow. "Remember what happened the last time you tried to take care of her?"

"This is different," Fluttershy said firmly. "This time, she really does need my help."

"I think we should all get some rest," said Luna. "The road to Norneigh will be quite perilous, and we all should be at full strength."

"That's a good idea," said Fluttershy. "I have plenty of extra room in my cottage. We can rest there."

"Why are you even bothering with the journey in the first place?" asked Twilight, a bit confused. "Couldn't Discord just...?"

"We've already been over this," said Discord, cutting across the unicorn librarian. "That would make too much sense, and it wouldn't be any fun."

Twilight gave Discord a deadpan look. "Really? Are you really concerned about having fun at a time like this? Every pony in Equestria is calling for you to be turned back into stone, even though you tried to fix the problem."

"I'm well aware of that," Discord growled. "And honestly, it's quite annoying. But I find that taking the good with the bad makes for a more interesting journey."

Twilight sighed. "Alright, fine. Whatever. I'm not going to argue."

"We should take our leave," said Luna. "Stay strong, Twilight Sparkle. No matter what happens."

"I will," said Twilight with a nod. "Best of luck to you, Princess Luna."

"I do believe you mean 'break a leg,'" said Discord with a snap of his fingers. Suddenly, the easy chair Twilight was sitting in broke all of its legs and collapsed to the ground. Twilight looked up and scowled at Discord.

"Sorry, force of habit," he said sheepishly. "Well, it looks like you're pretty busy here, so we'll just get out of your mane. Ta-ta!"

He snapped his fingers once again, and Twilight's guests all disappeared. Twilight sighed.

"I hope they know what they're doing," she mused. "Spike, take a letter. Princess Celestia has to know about this recent turn of events..."

No Rest for the Weary

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Luminous Atonement Chapter 7:
No Rest for the Weary

When Fluttershy opened her eyes, she found herself in her cottage, along with her traveling companions. Everything was dark, the only sources of illumination being the moon and stars shinning from outside.

"Here, let me get that," said Discord, clapping his mismatched hands twice. In an instant, all of the lights turned on. Fluttershy smiled.

"Thank you, Discord," she said. "Now, you and Princess Luna just make yourselves at home while I tend to Philomena, okay?"

"Not a problem, dearie. Take your time," said Discord, stretching himself out on the couch.

"I have some first aid in my saddlebag, in case you need it," Luna offered.

"Thank you, Your Highness, but I think I'll be fine," said Fluttershy. "Angel, would you be a dear and get my things?"

Angel nodded, and hopped up the stairs to Fluttershy's room. While he was gone, Fluttershy lay Philomena down in a little bed.

"This sure brings back memories, doesn't it Philomena?" the yellow pegasus said with a chuckle.

Philomena chortled weakly.

"Now, you're going to behave yourself this time, right?"

Philomena gave Fluttershy a solemn nod.

"Good to hear," said Fluttershy with a warm smile. "Now, you just lay there for a bit while I fix you some nice hot soup."

She then trotted off to the kitchen just as Angel was hauling a medical bag down the stairs. Discord couldn't help but notice.

"Um, Fluttershy? Does that bunny have a medical license?" asked he.

Fluttershy turned back to Discord, tilting her head. "I'm, not sure what you're getting at. Why would Angel need something like that? He's just a bunny."

"Oh, never mind," said Discord, snapping his fingers. "It's all academic now. I just gave him one."

Fluttershy looked over at her pet and raised an eyebrow. Angel was now dressed in tiny medical scrubs and holding a tiny little framed diploma. The bunny glowered at Discord, folding his arms and tapping his foot.

"Well, excuse me for trying to help," Discord said indignantly, snapping his fingers again. Just like that, the medical scrubs and diploma disappeared.

"Oh, don't mind Angel," said Fluttershy, turning her attention back to the kitchen. "He's just being a bit cranky."

"Big surprise there," said Discord, popping his misshapen eyes out of his sockets and rolling them across the floor like a pair of dice. The smaller eye ricocheted off of Angel's head and landed back in Discord's socket while the larger one rolled into a knothole in the wall. There was a crash, and a small white mouse rolled the eye back out of the knothole, bickering angrily and rubbing a small bump on his head.

"I don't think this is what Fluttershy had in mind when she told us to make ourselves at home," said Luna, raising an eyebrow.

"Well, at least I'm not levitating the cottage off the ground and causing it to rotate," said Discord, scooping up his eye. He then breathed on it and shined it against his chest before putting it back into his socket.

"I don't even want to know," said Luna with an exasperated sigh. She then knelt on the floor and opened up another tome while Angel continued to lug the medical bag across the floor. Discord stroked his goatee with his eagle talon for a time.

"Oh, Fluttershy?" he asked after a pause. "Does Philomena need bandages?"

"Hmm? Oh, yes," said Fluttershy, still hard at work in the kitchen. "But just around her torso. Her wings are just fine. Why do you ask?"

"No reason," said Discord innocently. He then donned a turban and pulled a flute out of nowhere. As he began to play an alluring tune on the flute, the medical bag Angel was carrying opened on its own accord, and a coil of bandages floated up out of it. The bandages swayed to the sound of the flute, and then floated over to Philomena and began coiling around the phoenix's body.

"That's a very pretty tune," said Fluttershy, oblivious to Discord's antics. "I didn't know you played any instruments, Discord."

Discord chuckled. "My dear Fluttershy, I am a draconequus of many talents. I thought you would know that by now."

Angel, however, was less than impressed. He gave the Master of Chaos a cold stare and tapped his foot.

"But of course, everyone's a critic," Discord added with a sigh.

Just then, Fluttershy emerged from the kitchen, carrying a piping hot bowl of delicious-smelling soup.

"Here you go, Philomena," she said sweetly, placing the bowl by her bed. As Philomena began to daintily eat her fill, the pink-maned pony noticed the bandages were already applied. "Oh. That's, odd."

"What is?" inquired Discord, casting his gaze out the window.

"I don't remember applying Philomena's bandages yet."

"Hmm. That is odd."

Angel palmed his face, unable to believe what was going on. He then hopped over to Fluttershy and began poking her leg.

"Huh? What is it, Angel?" Fluttershy asked.

Angel pointed over to Discord, who was still staring out the window and whistling innocently.

"Discord? What about him?"

Angel groaned, and pantomimed Discord's antics. Fluttershy smirked.

"Discord~. Were you playing a trick on me?" she said, placing her hooves on her hips.

"Who, me?" Discord asked slyly, a halo appearing above his head. "Why, I don't know what you're talking about."

"Oh, don't give me that," said Fluttershy playfully. "You applied Philomena's bandages while my back was turned, didn't you?"

"Now where in the world did you get that idea?"

"Okay, that's enough, you two," said Luna, rolling her eyes and chuckling in amusement.

Angel, however, was not the least bit amused. He continued to leer at Discord.

"That rabbit of yours is very difficult to please, you know that?" Discord told Fluttershy. "I don't know, I just find it ironic that you're so kind and understanding while he's so, well, him."

Fluttershy giggled. "I can see why you'd might think that," she said as she helped Philomena finish her soup. "Angel might be very grumpy and hard-headed, but he means well. Whenever I need guidance, I can always count on him to push me in the right direction."

"If you say so," said Discord with a shrug. "I'm just not comfortable with him not trusting me."

"I understand that," said Fluttershy. "But he's just looking out for me. Isn't that right, Angel?"

Angel gave a curt nod, and gave Discord an "I'm watching you" gesture.

"Well, that's nice to know," said Discord sardonically.

Suddenly, there was a light tap at Fluttershy's door.

"Oh, goodness! Who could that be?" she pondered aloud.

"I'm certainly not expecting anyone," said Discord with a shrug.

"Why would you...? Never mind, forget it," said Luna. "I'll look after Philomena, Fluttershy. You go see who it is."

"O-okay," said Fluttershy. She timidly made her way to the door and opened up the top portion. It was Scootaloo.

"Cutie Mark Crusaders Rumor Police!" said the orange filly. "Twilight said it's important that you get this message."

"Oh? What message?"

"Bad news from the Crystal Empire," said Scootaloo, her expression drooping. "Now there are rumors saying that Princess Cadence has been corrupted by Discord, and that's why all of these other rumors are going around."

"Oh my!" Fluttershy gasped in horror.

"Yeah, it's pretty bad," said Scootaloo. "I'm gonna try to keep this rumor under wraps before it reaches Ponyville. Gotta jet!"

With that, the purple-maned pegasus hopped onto her scooter and sped off. Fluttershy turned to Luna, who looked deeply troubled.

"It's worse than we feared," she said darkly. "We cannot afford to dally any longer."

"But wait. Philomena isn't better yet," said Fluttershy, her teal eyes reflecting concern.

Philomena cawed, propping herself up and spreading her wings.

"It seems that she disagrees," said Luna.

Fluttershy hemmed and hawed for a moment, wondering what the correct course of action was. Angel tapped her leg with his foot and gestured out the door.

"Um, are you sure?" Fluttershy asked.

The rabbit nodded vigorously.

"Well, if you say so," said Fluttershy, turning to Philomena. "Just promise not to strain yourself, alright?"

The phoenix nodded and squawked.

"Personally, I think that rumor just sounds too ridiculous for anypony to take seriously," said Discord. "I know I'd be laughing if it wasn't targeted at me."

"We cannot afford to take that chance," said Luna, determination in her voice and her eyes. "Come, everyone! Onward to Norneigh!"

She marched out the door as Fluttershy, Angel, and Philomena followed suit. Discord shrugged and flew after them. As he caught sight of Angel, he couldn't help but stroke his goatee in thought.

You think you know what's best for Fluttershy, do you? he pondered. Well, I just wonder what would happen if you were ever wrong...

Angel Takes Flight

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Luminous Atonement Chapter 8:
Angel Takes Flight

There was a tranquility in the air as Luna and her companions followed the river northward. The only sounds that could be heard were the clip-clop of hooves and the babbling brook that flowed from Ponyville out to parts unknown. Since leaving Fluttershy's cottage, none of the travelers breathed a word to each other. Princess Luna was preoccupied with the rumors getting worse and worse. She couldn't help but worry about what her fellow alicorn princesses were going through right now.

Discord, meanwhile, was still wondering about Angel and his relationship with Fluttershy. In his mind, they were the living definition of the term "opposites attract." Why would a kind soul like Fluttershy let a grump like Angel guide her? It was interesting to think about, especially since it didn't make sense. He studied the bunny with interest, which of course made Angel skeptical and confused.

Fluttershy was the only one of the group wearing a smile. While it was true that the situation seemed dire, she couldn't help but relax as she listened to the stream. She always loved the soothing sounds of nature. She closed her eyes and swayed her head as she walked, allowing the pleasant sounds to lull her into a state of peaceful meditation. Her only connections to reality were Angel crawling in her mane and Philomena perching on her back.

Suddenly, a loud, all-too-familiar snarl shattered the tranquil atmosphere and brought Fluttershy out of her trance. Her eyes snapped open, and she was greeted with the sight of a large chasm stretching out in front of her with large jagged cliffs on each side. Clouds of smoke billowed from the cliffs, and the smell of brimstone filled the air. Fluttershy's heart started to pound, her wings fused themselves to her body, and her knees became weak.

"P-p-p-princess Luna?" she stammered. "A-a-are we...?"

"Yes, Fluttershy," said Luna, gesturing with her hoof. "This is the Valley of Dragons."

Fluttershy squeaked in horror, falling to the ground and covering her eyes with her hooves. Philomena tried to comfort her while Angel poked his head out of his owner's mane to assess the situation.

"Well, certainly took us long enough to get here," said Discord. "So what's the plan, Lunatic?"

Luna shuffled towards the edge of the cliff and looked down. "It's too steep to traverse on hoof," she observed. "We're going to have to fly across."

"F-f-fly?!" Fluttershy yelped. "W-we can't fly past those d-d-d-d-dragons! Wh-what if they see us?!"

"I know a few spells that will keep them at bay," said Luna. "We should be fine."

"Th-there's nothing 'fine' about dragons!" Fluttershy whimpered. "They're big and nasty and scary and..."

"Alright, I think we get the picture," said Discord. He then turned to Luna. "Lunatic, I think Fluttershy and I should go on ahead. I'd hate to miss out on all the fun, but it looks like Fluttershy here isn't going to be budging anytime soon."

Luna looked over Fluttershy's cowering form and stroked her chin with her hoof. "You might have a point," she mused.

But Angel disagreed. He hopped out of Fluttershy's mane and ran right up to Discord, giving the draconequus a piece of his mind through his pantomime.

"Well, that's rather rude," said Discord, aghast at the rabbit's objection. "Are you honestly saying that Fluttershy is safer flying through that gauntlet than she is with me?"

Angel gave Discord a curt nod.

"Okay then, smart guy. Give me one good reason why Fluttershy is safer with the dragons," said Discord, folding his mismatched arms.

Angel conducted another pantomime.

"Besides the fact that you don't trust me, please."

Angel palmed his face and continued to argue through pantomime.

"Alright, I'll grant you the whole 'facing your fears' thing, but is that really worth putting your owner's life at risk?"

Angel pantomimed his response.

"How the heck do you know she'll be alright?"

Angel's response came almost immediately.

"Alright, I get it! You don't trust me! You don't have to keep bringing that up!"

"Stop it, both of you!"

All eyes turned to Fluttershy, who was slowly getting to her feet. Her fear had given way to disappointment.

"Listen to you two, arguing like a couple of little foals," she scolded, trotting in between the two. "You ought to be ashamed of yourselves." She turned to Angel and gave him a stern look. "Especially you, Angel Bunny. I understand you want to protect me, but I don't need protection from Discord. He's my friend, whether you like it or not."

"Yeah," Discord chimed in, blowing a raspberry.

"Don't act like you're innocent in all this, Discord," said Fluttershy, turning her head to the draconequus. "I already told you, Angel means well. You don't need to get mad at him for wanting to protect me."

"I'm not mad," said Discord. "Merely, curious."

Fluttershy raised an eyebrow. "Curious?"

"Yes, curious," said Discord, making his way over to Angel and Fluttershy. "Curious as to why your little pet has to insist on being infallible. Why he claims to know what's best for you."

"Well, I wouldn't say Angel is infallible," said Fluttershy. "But that doesn't mean I don't trust him. He's never steered me wrong, Discord. Not once."

"Is that right?" said Discord, stroking his goatee with his talon. "Well then, let's put that to the test."

"What do you mean?"

"Angel here is going to lead us through the Valley of Dragons."

There was a collective gasp.

"Discord, this better be a cruel joke," Luna said with a snort. "Why in Equestria would we entrust our lives to a bunny rabbit?"

"The same reason Fluttershy does," Discord retorted. "Angel never steered her wrong before, so why should he start now?"

"Discord, you don't have to do this," said Fluttershy. "Th-this is just silly. Angel can't even fly."

Discord gave Fluttershy a deadpan look. "Did you forget who you're talking to?" he asked rhetorically. "Besides, I think we should let Angel speak for himself. Well, Angel?"

Angel placed a paw to his chin and began tapping his foot, mulling over the situation all the while. Finally, he gave Discord a nod.

"Are you sure about that?" asked Discord slyly. "Are you so certain that Fluttershy is safer in your paws than in she is with me?"

Angel nodded again, determination in his beady black eyes.

"Well, if that's the way you feel about it, who am I to argue?" said Discord with a shrug. He then snapped his fingers. "Contact!"

All of a sudden, Angel's long ears began rotating like helicopter blades, lifting the little bunny off of the ground. As he steadied himself, Discord donned a brown aviator helmet and a long white scarf.

"Remember, Angel. We're following your lead," the Master of Chaos said, pulling down his goggles. "We await your orders."

Angel looked over at Fluttershy, who still looked a bit unsure about all this. He flew up to her and gave her a reassuring pat on her muzzle. Fluttershy smiled.

"A-alright. I trust you, Angel," she said timidly.

She then took a deep breath and spread her wings, along with Luna, Discord, and Philomena. Angel flew out in front, looking over the ravine below. After taking a deep breath of his own, he gestured outward and flew into the ravine. On his signal, everyone else took off and followed suit, maintaining a V formation behind the little bunny.

The buzzing of Angel's ears and the flurry of wings roused several dragons from their slumber. Noticing intruders in their airspace, they launched themselves into the air, roaring and snarling.

"Here they come!" Luna hollered.

"Oh my goodness, oh my goodness!" Fluttershy chanted, her heart beginning to race.

Angel was the first to notice one of the dragons coming in close, ready to bathe them all in its flame. He made a gesture, and the formation broke apart with everyone scattering in all directions to avoid the dragon's fiery breath. Snarling, the dragon gave chase to the odd flying rabbit, snapping at him with its teeth and swiping with its claws.

Angel bobbed and weaved, nimbly avoiding each attack and serving the infuriate the dragon even more. As he approached an outcropping shaped like a sewing needle, he saw his chance. Taunting the dragon into following, he flew through the needle. The dragon flew in hot pursuit, too enraged to fly strategically. Sure enough, it crashed right into the outcropping, tumbling into the valley below.

***

Meanwhile, Luna and Philomena found themselves being pursued by a trio of rowdy teenage dragons.

"Where ya going?!" hollered the leader of the pack. "We just wanna play with you a bit!"

Luna was not in the mood to make a witty retort. Instead, she turned about to face her pursuers and shot a magical blast from her horn. The blast hit its target, sending one of the juvenile beasts into the canyon wall.

"Ooh, feisty!" said the leader, licking his lips. "I like that in my meal."

He then darted forward towards the lunar princess. Before he could get within striking distance, Philomena flew out from under him and raised her wings, blinding him with her brilliant plumage.

"Ah! Not again!" the dragon howled, shielding his eyes and swerving straight into his partner.

"Hey! Watch where you're going!" the other dragon snarled. Soon enough, the two of them forgot their prey and began fighting amongst themselves.

"Idiots," Luna sighed as she flew off with Philomena close behind. Suddenly, she stopped short as an adult dragon rocketed past her field of view. It was too fast to tell, but she could've sworn that it was covered in cotton candy.

"Sorry!" Discord called out from above. "I'll try to be more careful! By the way, you have bogeys coming in at three o'clock! I'll lay out the cheese dip while you tidy up!"

Before Luna could ask what he meant, she heard a rather squishy sound from her right. She turned her head and saw a pair of dragons covered in gooey cheese that made them unable to stay airborne. Luna simply rolled her eyes an flew onward.

***

The only one having a difficult time was Fluttershy. Several dragons flew at her from all sides, gnashing their teeth and breathing their flame. She swooped and dived frantically, paying only minimal attention to where she was going. Oftentimes she got lucky, causing two dragons to attack each other by mistake and making them forget all about her. But her luck could only hold out for so long.

In her fear, she did not notice that she was flying too close to the canyon wall. Suddenly, she felt a sharp pain in her wing, and her flight became unsteady. Opening one eye to see what the trouble was, she found that she had clipped her wing on a branch sticking out of the cliff. Instantly, she panicked.

"ANGEL!" she cried out.

Angel, who had problems of his own, hastily shook the two dragons chasing him before turning to Fluttershy. His eyes widened as he saw his owner trying desperately to stay airborne on an injured wing while a large green dragon snuck up from behind, aiming to cook the little pegasus with its flame. Without a second thought, the little bunny zoomed towards the attacker, kicking it right in snout. Distracted, the dragon chased after Angel, snapping at the flying rabbit with its large jaws. This act of bravery did not go unnoticed by Discord.

"Well, well," he mused, slapping another dragon out of the sky with his snake tail as he watched. "You really care for her, don't you? You're even willing to risk your life. Well played, Angel. Well played. I suppose I'll give you a break."

He then snapped his fingers just as the dragon chasing Angel opened its jaws one last time. Suddenly, a large carrot appeared out of nowhere, prying its jaws open. No matter what the dragon did, it couldn't get around this predicament. Distracted and confused, it crashed into the side of the cliff.

At this point, the dragons felt that this exercise was not worth the effort. They flew back into the valley, with some of the stragglers having to be scared off by Luna's magic.

"That should be the last of them," said the Princess of the Night. "We'll land here, and then proceed onward to Norneigh."

With that, the five of them came in for a landing with Fluttershy's being the shakiest.

"Are you alright, Fluttershy?" Discord asked.

"I-I'll be fine," said Fluttershy. "It doesn't hurt that— oof!"

Despite her words, moving her wing caused her considerable pain. Angel looked up at his owner, a guilty look on his face.

"Oh, don't look so sad, Angel," said Fluttershy, petting the rabbit with her hoof. "I don't blame you for anything."

Angel shook his head, and looked at Discord. The draconequus smirked.

"Now you know what it feels like to be wrong," said he. "I see that you care about Fluttershy a lot, and I understand that. But there's such a thing as being overprotective, even to the point where it does more harm than good. You see what I'm getting at, right?"

Angel gave Discord a solemn nod, and wrapped his arms around Fluttershy's foreleg. Fluttershy picked the little bunny up, and the two of them nuzzled noses.

"It's alright, Angel," she cooed. "I know you always mean well, even when you do make mistakes. You'll always be my friend, no matter what."

Angel wiped a tear from his eye and looked over at Discord.

"Hmm? What is it?" Discord inquired.

Angel pointed to Fluttershy's wing.

"Wellllllll, I wouldn't want to make this journey too easy," Discord mused.

Angel raised an eyebrow.

"But for you, I'll make an exception," Discord added. "Just this once, though."

He then snapped his fingers, and Fluttershy's wing was as good as new. Angel smirked and gave Discord a wink.

"Hey, right back at you," said Discord with a smile and a salute.

"Well, now that we've gotten that out of the way, we should continue our quest," said Luna. "Norneigh should be just beyond this field. Come, let us make haste."

Without waiting for acknowledgment, she trotted off to the north. Fluttershy placed Angel back in her mane and quickly followed, with Discord and Philomena not far behind.

An Antisocial Call

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Luminous Atonement Chapter 9:
An Antisocial Call

After a brief walk, Princess Luna and her companions happened upon a large gate. Standing at the gate were a pair of unicorn stallions in security garb. Luna snorted.

"I figured as much," she said bitterly. "It's just like in Fillydelphia."

"I'm guessing we need to get past that gate in order to enter Norneigh, right?" said Discord.

"Indeed," said Luna.

"No problem. I got this one," said Discord with a snap of his fingers. All of a sudden, a scroll materialized in front of the princess' eyes. "Give that to them, and they'll let us through."

"If you say so," said Luna skeptically. She trotted up to the guards as Discord transformed himself into a constellation. The guards crossed their horns.

"Sorry, ma'am," said one of the stallions. "Nopony gets through without proper identification."

"I, have this," said Luna, handing them the scroll Discord just gave her.

The guard unfurled the scroll and read it over. He showed it to his partner, who read it over himself. After a while, they simply shrugged.

"It checks out," said the guard, handing the parchment back to Luna as the other opened the gate. "Enjoy your stay in Norneigh, Ms. Clearly Not Princess Luna Wearing A Cloak."

Princess Luna could hardly believe her ears. It took all of her self-control just to keep herself from blurting out how ridiculous this scenario was. She looked over the parchment, and sure enough, that was the name written, along with all of the information one would expect in such a document. She took a deep breath and regained her composure.

"Th-thank you, gentlecolts," she said with a bow. With that, she and her companions crossed the border into Norneigh. As soon as the gate was far behind them, she gave Discord a look.

"What?" said Discord with a shrug. "It worked, didn't it? It's best not to look a gift horse in the mouth, Lunatic."

Luna sighed and shook her head. "I really wish you would take this seriously," she groaned. "Now come on. We have to hurry and find the Kraken."

"Um, if you don't mind me asking, who, or what, is the Kraken?" Fluttershy asked timidly.

Luna's face darkened. "The Kraken is a sea monster that lives here in Norneigh," she said. "The myths about him don't do him justice, frankly. Ponies say he just controls the tides, and that he was one of Nightmare Moon's allies."

"Well, wasn't he?" inquired Fluttershy.

"It's a bit more complicated than that. It's more like he was one of the few beings who supported Nightmare Moon's actions," said Luna. "You see, the Kraken is actually a creature with immense power over solitude. Isolation, insignificance, the unknown. They are all merely playthings to the Kraken."

Discord chuckled. "You do realize the paradox of him controlling the unknown, don't you Lunatic?"

"I would, if I didn't see it for myself," Luna said darkly. "When I became Nightmare Moon, the Kraken called me out here to Norneigh. He wanted to arrange a deal."

"A deal?" asked Fluttershy.

"The Kraken feeds on loneliness," Luna explained. "And when I was Nightmare Moon, I had more than enough loneliness to spare. He said that in exchange for some of my loneliness, he would grant me the power to defeat my sister."

"And how did that pan out for you, hmm?" Discord asked slyly.

Luna heaved a great sigh. "I turned him down. The power he promised me was not what I expected."

"What do you mean?" Fluttershy inquired.

"He gave me a vial filled with his ink," said Luna. "He said that anypony who drinks it would become unable to perceive others. They wouldn't be able to see anypony, hear anypony, or touch anypony, and nopony would be able to see, hear, or touch them. They would be alone without really being alone."

Fluttershy gasped. "That sounds, awful," she said. "I wouldn't wish that on anypony."

"Neither would I. It would be a fate worse than death," Luna said somberly. "But my reasons for refusing him were far more selfish. I didn't want to simply take over Equestria. I wanted to defeat my sister, and prove that I was better. After all, I had my pride."

"Yes, and look what it got you," said Discord. "A round-trip ticket to the moon, with the next train not arriving for a thousand years."

"Discord! Don't be so insensitive," Fluttershy admonished.

"No, it's fine," said Luna. "He's right, after all."

"So, what happened after that? How did the Kraken take your rejection?" Discord asked.

Luna shook her head. "I don't know. I never knew what the Kraken was thinking, to be honest."

"Then, how are you so sure he'll help us?" said Discord, stroking his chin with his lion paw.

"The Kraken is very wise," said Luna. "He knows we're coming, and he'll have answers for us. I don't know if he'll cooperate, but we have to at least try."

They continued to walk in silence until they reached a small beach. Stretching out beyond the beach was a large ocean, sparkling in the light of Luna's great moon and the stars above.

"Now if memory serves, the Kraken lives just off the coast, in an underwater cove," said Luna. "I'll lead the way. Hold on."

She then closed her eyes and focused as her horn became cloaked in dark blue light. From the light, a beam of energy sprung out and enveloped her muzzle and wings. When the magic dissipated, she was wearing a translucent blue dome around her mouth, and her wings were cloaked in some sort of rubber.

"A simple scuba spell," she explained, her voice echoing due to the dome on her muzzle. "It allows me to breath underwater and keeps my wings from getting soaked. Here, Fluttershy. I'll do you next."

"Actually, allow me, Lunatic," said Discord. "I think for Fluttershy, we need something a bit more, special."

He snapped his fingers, and a ticklish sensation spread throughout Fluttershy's body. The yellow pegasus giggled as her body changed shape. Her wings fused together into a small fin. Her hind legs and pink tail spiraled around each other, eventually coming together as a long spindly tail. Small gills appeared on her neck. When she managed to compose herself, she looked down and gasped.

"Wh-what happened to me?" she asked timidly.

"Why, I thought that would be obvious, my dear," said Discord. "You're a sea pony now. At least for this leg of our little quest."

"Oh, my..." said Fluttershy, admiring her new body. Angel raised an eyebrow at Discord.

"I swear, I'll turn her back once we do what we have to do with this Kraken fellow," the draconequus promised. "Don't worry your grumpy little head. Besides which, you should probably join us."

He snapped his fingers again, and Angel found himself wearing a scuba outfit.

"And for you, Philomena..."

With another snap of his fingers, he encased the phoenix in a translucent bubble. He then donned a snorkel of his own.

"Well, we're all set, Lunatic," said he. "Ready whenever you are."

"Yes, quite," said Luna. "Alright, follow me."

She then galloped into the ocean, the rest of her companions at her heels.

***

The trip through the ocean was not a pleasant one. As Luna led her comrades deeper and deeper, the ocean became darker and murkier. It got to the point where the only source of illumination was the bubble that carried Philomena. Fluttershy shivered, frightened of the darkness as well as of the upcoming encounter with the Kraken. Still, she kept pace with the others and followed the lunar princess into the depths of the ocean.

Eventually, Luna stopped at a large cave near the ocean floor. She raised her hoof, signaling the others to halt.

"This is it," said she. "This is the home of the Kraken. Now to wake him."

She motioned for everyone to keep their distance and then shot a magic beacon from her horn into the cave. Everything was still for a time. Then, a loud garbled roar echoed from the cave. Fluttershy squeaked in terror, hiding herself behind Discord. From the cave emerged what appeared to be a giant octopus with rust-colored skin, great yellow eyes, and tentacles as long as Discord was tall.

"It has been a while, Kraken," said Luna.

The beast garbled and rumbled. Not a word was understood, but it didn't sound happy.

"Okay, anyone else need some translation? Because I sure do," said Discord, snapping his fingers. "Now, could you repeat that?"

The beast complied. This time, a clear voice was heard along with his burbling roars.

"(Do you not know that it is disrespectful to disturb a creature when he is hibernating?)" the creature growled. "(One would think you of all ponies would know better, Princess of the Night.)"

"I'm terribly sorry to disturb you, Kraken," Luna apologized. "It's just that..."

"(One knows why you are here, Princess of the Night,)" the creature interrupted. "(You've come in search of answers, correct?)"

"Indeed," said Luna. "Oh, I should introduce you to my friends. Everyone, this is the Kraken. Kraken, these are..."

"(One did not ask,)" the Kraken said, cutting across Luna again. "(Though One finds it very amusing that you chose to travel with the Master of Chaos and the Element of Kindness.)"

"Someone sure likes the sound of his own voice," Discord whispered to Fluttershy.

"(Very witty, Master of Chaos,)" the Kraken said dryly.

"He apparently has great hearing, too," Discord added with disdain.

"Um, Mr. Kraken, sir?" Fluttershy said meekly, twiddling her hooves. "We were wondering if you could tell us anything about Orthrus. That is, if you don't mind."

"(As One has already said, Element of Kindness, One knows why you're here,)" said the Kraken. "(But before you confront Orthrus, it is the Furies you must find.)"

"So, they're still alive?" Luna asked.

"(You make assumptions, Princess of the Night,)" said the Kraken sternly. "(One did not say whether they were alive or dead. Only that they bar your way to Orthrus.)"

"Ooh, cryptic riddles. How original," said Discord sardonically.

"(Your powers may surpass ones own, Master of Chaos. Nevertheless, One will subject you to horrors unimaginable if you continue to insult one,)" the Kraken snarled.

"Please, Kraken. It is imperative that we stop Orthrus," Luna pleaded. "Any information you can give us will do."

The Karken placed a tentacle to his chin. "(Hmm. One does not sense any loneliness in any of you. Unlike last time, you come to one empty-hoofed, Princess of the Night.)"

"Perhaps not," said Luna. "Feel free to peer into our minds. I'm sure you'll find something."

"Um, Lunatic? I didn't agree to this," said Discord.

"Do you want him to help us or not?" Luna said sternly.

"Alright, fine. But don't blame me if he goes blind," said Discord, folding his mismatched arms and shrugging.

"(Do not underestimate ones mental prowess, Master of Chaos,)" the Kraken growled. He then closed his eyes, and the water around him seemed to ripple. After a few minutes, his eyes snapped open.

"(One proposes a wager,)" said he.

"A wager?" parroted Luna.

"(Yes, a wager,)" said the Kraken. "(If you win, One shall bestow upon you the knowledge you seek. If One wins, then One shall keep the challenger as ones food source.)"

"The challenger?" asked Luna. "Whom do you challenge?"

"(The Element of Kindness.)"

"WHAT?!" yelped Fluttershy, her eyes growing as wide as dinner plates.

"(Blame your own memory for your fate, o Element of Kindness,)" said the Kraken. "(For One challenges you to a game of Shhh!)"

The Ultimate Game of Shhh

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Luminous Atonement Chapter 10:
The Ultimate Game of Shhh

The Kraken's challenge was met with a collection of blank stares.

"I'm sorry, what was the challenge again?" asked Princess Luna.

"(A game of Shhh,)" the Kraken said. "(Did One not make oneself clear?)"

"Um, that's not it," said Luna. "I understand what you said. I'm just, confused. What exactly is this game of Shhh that you're talking about? You said you got it from Fluttershy's memories."

"(It is a game that the Element of Kindness is the World Champion of, or so she claims,)" the Kraken explained. "(The object of the game is to see who can go the longest without making a sound.)"

"Really? That's your big challenge?" said Discord, clearly not impressed. "Remind me again, why should we be afraid of you?"

"(Mock one while you can, Master of Chaos,)" growled the Kraken. "(For you shall soon bear witness to ones true might.)"

"I think I'd rather watch paint grow and grass dry," Discord muttered.

The Kraken ignored Discord's snarky comment and turned his attention to Fluttershy. "(Element of Kindness, do you accept ones challenge?)"

Fluttershy placed a hoof to her chin and thought for a moment. Although the Karken seemed fearsome and intimidating, she saw Discord's point. A game of Shhh was hardly something to get worked up over. She really had nothing to be afraid of. Finally, she gave the Kraken a nod.

"I accept your challenge, Mr. Kraken," said she.

"(Splendid,)" said the Kraken. "(Princess of the Night, tell us when to commence.)"

"Um, sure," said Luna, still a bit befuddled. She then swam over to Fluttershy and leaned close to the timid pony's ear. "Be careful, Fluttershy. There's no telling what the Kraken might do," she whispered.

"I'll be alright," Fluttershy assured her. "It's just a game of Shhh. How bad could it be?"

Luna sighed. "Very well, then. All the best," she said. She then swam in between the Kraken and Fluttershy, looking over at both sides. "You may begin, now."

Fluttershy took a deep breath and held it, her cheeks puffing out in a cute manner. The Kraken merely stared back at her with his great yellow eyes. For a while, everything was still. Discord groaned.

"Is anybody else getting bored?" he asked. "Please tell me I'm not the only one."

"Quiet," Luna hissed. "You don't want to break Fluttershy's concentration, do you?"

"Well, no," Discord said sheepishly. "But come on now, Lunatic. This is nothing more than a glorified staring contest. Can you really blame me for getting bored?"

Before Luna could respond, she felt a slight tingling in her head. She looked over at the Kraken, and saw the water around him rippling again. She gasped, placing a hoof to her mouth.

"Oh no," said she.

"Oh no what?" said Discord, raising an eyebrow.

Luna turned to Discord, her face darkened with worry. "I see now why the Kraken chose this challenge," she said gravely. "It might not look it, but Fluttershy is in great danger."

***

From Fluttershy's perspective, everything around her seemed to get darker and darker. Very soon, it got to the point where she couldn't even see her own hoof in front of her face. Then, the background noises around her faded. The sounds grew softer and softer, until she could hear nothing at all. She found herself in an empty void of dead silence.

Wh-what's going on? she thought. Why can't I see anything? Why can't I hear anything?

She looked all around, but there was no sign of the Kraken or any of her companions. She was alone. All alone.

Where is everybody? she wondered. I know they were here a second ago...

Gradually, her curiosity turned into fear. A cold chill went up her spine, and her heart began to race. She wanted to call out to her friends. She wanted so desperately to find some sort of proof. Some sort of sign that she wasn't alone...

No, she told herself, shaking her head. If I speak, I'll lose. I have to be strong, for Princess Luna and all my friends.

So she remained silent, staring off into the inky blackness ahead of her. She began to lose all sense of time and space. Nothing else existed. It was just her and the void. The very thought caused her to shiver.

It feels so cold, she thought. Am I really all alone? Why am I alone? I-I don't wanna be alone.

Her eyes began to sting as tears rolled down her cheeks. It took sheer force of will to keep herself from whimpering. Slowly, she curled herself into a little ball, weeping and shuddering like a little lost filly.

Th-this is unbearable, she thought. I-I'm so lonely. Somepony, anypony, just let me know you're here. Don't leave me all alone...

Alone. Lonely. The words kept repeating themselves over and over again in Fluttershy's mind. And each time she heard those words, she felt her body growing colder and colder. She was on the brink of giving up entirely when she remembered something.

The Kraken feeds on loneliness.

Isolation, insignificance, the unknown. They are all merely playthings to the Kraken.

Princess Luna's words caused Fluttershy's eyes to snap open. None of this was real. The Kraken was using his powers to mess with her mind. Her fear dissolved, and unbridled fury took its place.

That. Big. Dumb. MEANIE!

She stood tall against the darkness and glowered. Her eyes, previously swollen from her tears, now reflected nothing but a cold, angry Stare.

Wh-what are you doing? the Kraken's voice echoed in her mind. Cease this foolishness at once!

But Fluttershy would show no mercy. Bit by bit, the void around her began to crumble.

Give me back my friends, you big cheater! she demanded mentally. Get out of my mind and stop trying to make me think I'm alone! I am not alone!

Soon enough, the darkness shattered completely, and she found herself staring down a very frightened-looking Kraken trying to hide his eyes with his tentacles. But no matter what he did, his eyes remained locked into Fluttershy's disapproving gaze. After a few seconds, he roared in pain.

"(Please! Please stop! One concedes!)" the sea monster pleaded. "(You are victorious, Element of Kindness!)"

Fluttershy gave the Kraken one last glare. "Don't you ever let me catch you doing anything like that again," she said coldly. "Do you understand me, mister?"

The Kraken's only response was a timid nod, and Fluttershy's teal eyes returned to normal. She then turned to her friends and breathed a huge sigh of relief. Luna's jaw dropped.

"My word, Fluttershy! That was amazing!" she exclaimed. "I didn't think anypony would be able to counter the Kraken's mental powers. I must confess, I feared the worst."

"I'll be okay, Your Highness," said Fluttershy meekly, twiddling her hooves. "But still, that was pretty scary."

"Well, I for one never doubted you for a second," said Discord. "Honestly, the day you lose to an overly-cryptic pile of calamari is the day Celestia stops being so persnickety. Nicely done, dear Fluttershy."

Philomena cawed her praise as well, and Angel swam up to Fluttershy and hugged her.

"Oh, you guys~," Fluttershy giggled, her face turning bright crimson. She then pulled little Angel close to her chest and gave him a big squeeze. "I really missed you all."

"You were only at it for like five minutes, though," said Discord.

"Really?" said Fluttershy. "But, it felt like an eternity."

"And it would've been if you didn't manage to break his hold on you," said Luna. "The very fact that you were able to resist him is a testament to your own inner strength."

"Oh, I'm flattered, really," said Fluttershy, hiding her face in embarrassment.

"It's the truth," said Luna with a warm smile. "You have a strong heart, Fluttershy. Don't let anypony tell you otherwise."

She then swam over to the Kraken, who was still reeling from the Stare. "Now then, Kraken. We had a wager, did we not?"

"(Y-yes. We did,)" the Kraken wheezed. "(J-just give one a moment.)"

After a brief pause, the Kraken recovered his composure.

"(One shall now bestow upon you what you seek, as One promised,)" said he. "(Close your eyes and open you minds to one.)"

"No tricks this time?" said Fluttershy, raising an eyebrow.

The Kraken seemed to gulp. "(N-none, Element of Kindness. One promises,)" he said hastily. "(A deal is a deal, after all.)"

"Just making sure," said Fluttershy sweetly as she closed her eyes.

The Kraken made a grumbling sound, as if he were clearing his throat. "(Now then, open your minds to one, as One shows you what truly happened to the Furies, and how they bar your path to Orthrus...)"

Return of the Shadowbolts

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Luminous Atonement Chapter 11:
Return of the Shadowbolts

The Furies as you know them are dead and gone. Despite the myths surrounding them, they indeed met their end in the Canterlot Caves. However, they have returned through the help of another trio of pegasi that served the Princess of the Night. You would know them better as the Shadowbolts.

Now, as you are no doubt aware, the Shadowbolts were not actually ponies. They were an illusion; an obstacle that was overcome by the Element of Loyalty. And upon their defeat, they dissolved into the dark energy from whence they came. But the same dark magic that created them can be wielded by another creature. That creature, of course, is Orthrus.

Ever since he was imprisoned, Orthrus has fought against the magical suppression of Tartarus. This was not an easy feat, for Tartarus was designed for the purpose of keeping creatures like him from wreaking havoc on Equestria. For a millennia, he focused his energy and strength, and after all that time, all it yielded him was a magic lamp from Saddle Arabia. For him, this was a good start, and a precursor of things to come.

And while it was indeed a precursor, it was nothing more than that. The genie's magic was not strong enough to free him. Nevertheless, Orthrus would not be deterred. He had the genie free another monster from Tartarus, and that monster promised to return and free him. This plan did not bear any fruit, for the Chimera was quickly found and dispatched, thanks in no small part to the Element of Generosity.

This was but a minor setback for the great Hound of the Moon. After his first plan failed, he came up with another. Abusing his status as master of the lamp, he ordered the genie to harness the power of a unicorn who could free him from Tartarus. Unlike last time, he was actually freed from his prison, if only temporarily. Using his cunning, he fooled the genie into willingly becoming his servant. Had it not been for the might of his brother and the unwavering inner strength of the Element of Magic, he would have triumphed that day.

However, much to his chagrin, he did not. He was defeated by Cerberus, and the genie was freed from his control. He was dragged back to Tartarus, where he would bide his time just as he did for centuries on end.

And then, five days before this very moment in time, he managed to push his limits again, and cast even stronger magic.

This time, he created his own Shadowbolts, and had them reanimate the bodies of the Furies. In mind, these new Furies are the same as when they were still alive: Vigilantes who punish any and all infractions of justice. But below that intelligence lies a more primitive instinct; the instinct of the Shadowbolts. Though not aware of it themselves, they exist only to serve their master Orthrus, and nothing can be said to convince them otherwise.

These new Furies were summoned to Tartarus, and their instincts dictated them to find a way to free Orthrus. For five days, they found themselves without a solution. That is, until one presented itself, in the form of the Element of Kindness.

***

Luna and the others opened their eyes as the Kraken's psychic tale had concluded. Luna's brow furrowed, and she placed a hoof to her chin. Discord's reaction was similar, as he stroked his goatee with his eagle talon. Fluttershy flattened her ears and cast her eyes downward, nervously twiddling her hooves. All was silent for a time. Finally, Discord was the first to speak.

"So, let me get this straight," he said, donning a chef's hat and summoning an oven and a baking pan that held half a cake. "You're saying that Orthrus took a half-baked idea, put it back in the oven for a few more minutes, and came up with necromancy."

To illustrate his point, the Master of Chaos put the baking pan into the oven, waited a few seconds, and took out a full cake.

"(How you interpret it is irrelevant,)" gargled the Kraken. "(All you need to know is that it is the truth.)"

"Huh. And here I thought Orthrus was crazy back when he thought the Chimera was going to be of any use to him," said Discord, taking a bite out of the baking pan while leaving the cake intact.

"Wait, you're not telling us everything," said Princess Luna. "You mentioned before that the Furies bar our way to Orthrus. How so?"

"(It is because of the Furies that the rumors are spreading as quickly as they are,)" the Kraken answered. "(If left unchecked, your allies will be few and far between, Princess of the Night. Just as they were when you became Nightmare Moon.)"

Angel raised an eyebrow and shrugged.

"I'm with the bunny on this one," said Discord as he polished off the baking pan and threw the cake away. "It's true that not a lot of ponies like me and Lunatic right now. But we still have more support than Nightmare Moon ever had."

"(And who will support the supporters, Master of Chaos?)" the Kraken inquired. "(What would happen if somepony decided to take things into their own hooves and, say, wage war against the Princess of the Day or the Crystal Empire? Even with a handful of friends standing by your side, you cannot hope to take on all of Equestria.)"

"Hi, I don't believe we've met. I'm Discord, Master of Chaos. Maybe you've heard of me," said the draconequus, extending his lion paw to the sea monster.

"(One has already envisioned innumerable scenarios where you are turned back into stone, Master of Chaos,)" growled the Kraken. "(One would not act so smug in your position.)"

"Don't bother. It's come to my attention that it's impossible for him to take anything seriously," said Luna with a sigh. "But enough about that. You're saying that we need to defeat the Furies and stop these rumors before we fight Orthrus, correct?"

"(Indeed,)" the Kraken said with a nod of his great head. "(Without the Furies, Orthrus's curse is his only weapon against you.)"

"So, how do we find them?" asked Luna.

"(There is a small forest to the east of the Valley of Dragons,)" said the Kraken. "(The Furies will be searching for you there.)"

Fluttershy gulped. "Th-they're looking for us?" she mumbled meekly.

"(Not per se,)" said the Kraken. "(It is part of Orthrus's plan. If they don't find you, they'll do something drastic in order to flush you out. One presumes that One does not need to elaborate on what would happen should they carry out this plan.)"

Luna bit her lip and shook her head. "No, you don't," she said darkly. She then turned to Discord, a serious look in her teal eyes. "Discord, take us to those woods, immediately. We have to stop the Furies here and now, before they can do any more damage."

"Now just a minute, Lunatic," said Discord. "I still have some questions for Ink Breath over here. Like how is my magic being countered? I don't think Orthrus was ever that powerful."

The Kraken closed his eyes. "(That is something even One has trouble wrapping ones great mind around,)" he said somberly.

"Wow, it's just not your day, is it?" said Discord with a condescending smirk. "I'm beginning to think that all-powerful brain of yours is not what it's all cracked up to be."

The Kraken snarled. "(One is very patient, Master of Chaos, but that patience is wearing thin.)"

"Look, I'm just as curious about that as you are," said Luna. "But this is more important right now, don't you agree?"

"I never said it wasn't," said Discord with a shrug.

Luna stared at the draconequus blankly. "Then, why did you bother asking?"

"Well, who do you want to ask? Orthrus?" Discord shot back. "I think he'd be a bit preoccupied trying to destroy us. Unless he wants to boast first, in which case I'm probably going to fall asleep from boredom."

Luna raised an eyebrow.

"What? If you've heard one grandiose villain speech, you've heard them all," said Discord plainly. "At least mine were a bit more creative."

"Um, Discord? Your Highness? We, really don't have time to argue about this," said Fluttershy timidly.

"Fluttershy's right," said Luna. "If we have to beat the answers out of Orthrus, then that is what we'll do. Now let's stop horsing around and get moving, Discord! There's not a moment to lose!"

"Alright, alright!" Discord conceded. "Sheesh, you can be just as touchy as your sister sometimes, you know that?"

He then snapped his fingers, and the Kraken found himself alone once again. The Kraken snorted.

Ones actions mattered not, thought he. The Furies would've gotten what they wanted either way. With that being the case, One has to wonder how you will handle this, Princess of the Night...

Corrupted Guilt

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Luminous Atonement Chapter 12:
Corrupted Guilt

In the blink of an eye, Princess Luna and the others found themselves on dry land, in the forest that the Kraken described. Fluttershy looked over her body, and found that it was back to normal.

"See? I told you I'd change her back," Discord told Angel. "Of course, it would've been funny to see Twilight have a conniption fit over one of her friends becoming a sea pony..."

Angel folded his arms and raised an eyebrow.

"I'm just kidding," said Discord with a sigh. "Seriously, Fluttershy. Doesn't that rabbit of yours know how to take a joke?"

"This is no time for your jokes, Discord," Luna said sternly. "We have to find the Furies before they try to flush us out."

Philomena squawked.

"Huh?" asked Fluttershy, giving the phoenix a quizzical look. "What do you mean we don't have to worry about that?"

Before Philomena could answer, the sound of wings flapping could be heard from above. Fluttershy looked up and gasped. Descending from above were three bat-winged pegasi, each one cloaked from head to hoof. They landed and bowed to Princess Luna.

"It has been a long time, Your Luminous," said one of the pegasi in a familiar rasp. Fluttershy's eyes widened as she recognized the voice.

"Wait. I-I know you," she said, trotting up to the wizened old mare. "We met at the Gates of Tartarus."

The pegasus looked up, and her eyes seemed to gleam. "I'm glad you remember me, child. Allow me to formally introduce myself."

The pegasi then removed their cloaks. Each of them were dressed in Shadowbolt uniforms. The center of the trio wore a powdered wig and had some sort of gavel hanging on a string around her shoulder. The mare to her left had golden bracelets around her forelegs and a bandage hanging over her left eye. The mare to the right was bulkier than the other two, and still wore a black hood over her face.

"I am Judge, the Fury of Observation," said the pegasus with the powdered wig. She then pointed to her wingponies. "And these are my colleagues: Jury, the Fury of Verdict, and Executioner, the Fury of Punishment. Together, we stand for the divine justice of Equestria."

"Does that include tarnishing my good name?" said Luna, glaring at the trio.

"As much as it pains me to say so, it does, Your Luminous," said Judge with a sigh. "A crime is a crime, no matter who commits it."

"What? What crime?" asked a confused Luna. "I thought you were mad at my sister for sending me to the moon."

"Oh, we still are," said Jury. "And she'll be getting what she deserves in due time. But for now, you are the one to be punished. You brought this upon yourself, Your Luminous. It's nothing personal."

Executioner then raised her hooves, and a small black cloud formed between them. When it was fully formed, she pounded the cloud with her hoof, and a lightning bolt shot out. The illumination from the bolt caused Luna to cast a long shadow. The shadow remained for a time before something seemed to emerge from it, as if it were a pool of water. Luna's eyes widened in horror as the figure took on a more definite shape.

It was a tall black alicorn donned in sinister purple armor. Her mane was dotted with sparkling stars, just like Luna's own. Her eyes were sinister; her grin even more so. And to top it all off, her Cutie Mark was the same as the Princess of the Night. There was no mistaking who it was, but Luna still couldn't believe it.

"Th-this is impossible," she stammered. "I-it can't be. Wh-what kind of trickery is this?"

"It is no trick, you impudent foal," said the sinister alicorn. "I am who you truly are. I am Nightmare Moon!"

Luna shook her head. "N-no. No, I'm not Nightmare Moon anymore. You're not real."

"Tsk tsk tsk. We both know that's not true," Nightmare Moon admonished. "Orthrus's return; the rumors; the curse. All of it is because of you."

"What do you mean? I didn't wish for any of this."

"You created Orthrus. Do you deny that?"

"Well, no. No, I don't deny it. But..."

"Then this is all your fault," said Nightmare Moon, cutting across the frightened princess. "Equestria is right to fear you. You are no different from me! This night shall last forever!"

"CEASE THY VENOMOUS SPEECH, FOUL SPECTER!"

Luna had heard enough. She shot a magical blast at Nightmare Moon, who merely deflected it with her own magic. Nightmare Moon chuckled nefariously.

"You little foal. You think you are a match for me?" said she. "I represent your guilt, Princess Luna. You cannot escape me any more than you can escape your own shadow. Fight me if you must, but in the end, I will consume you!"

With a maniacal laugh, Nightmare Moon fired a beam of her own. Luna deflected it with her own magic, but the force from the blast caused her to lose her footing. She stumbled back, granting Nightmare Moon an opening. She charged forward with speed that seemed impossible, tackling Luna with the full force of her body. Wide-eyed, Luna fell to the ground. Philomena screeched and quickly flew over to the lunar princess's side.

"Princess Luna!" exclaimed Fluttershy, rushing in to join the battle herself. However, her path was cut off by the Furies, who all leered at her with hungry eyes.

"You have your own crimes to answer for, child," said Judge. "And don't lie to me and say that you don't."

"Cerberus d-doesn't blame me for a-anything," said Fluttershy, trying her best to sound brave. "I-it wasn't my fault."

"Is that so?" said Jury with a sneer. "Well, we'll have to see about that, won't we? Executioner?"

The bulky mare complied, pounding another thunderbolt out of the storm cloud. Just like with Luna, the bolt caused a long shadow to spring out of Fluttershy's body. From the shadow, a figure emerged. Discord was the first to notice what it was, and his jaw dropped.

"You have got to be kidding me," said he.

The figure looked very much like Fluttershy. The same mane, the same wings, even the same Cutie Mark. But instead of Fluttershy's yellow coat, her coat was grey. In fact, there was not a bit of color on her body whatsoever. And while Fluttershy's eyes reflected warmth and kindness, this new mare's eyes showed nothing but coldness and cruelty.

"Wh-who are you?" Fluttershy stuttered.

"Why, Fluttershy. I'm hurt," said the grey Fluttershy with a sinister grin. "Don't you recognize your own guilt when you see it?"

"M-my guilt?" asked Fluttershy.

"Did I stutter?" the grey Fluttershy spat, walking up to her colorful counterpart. "I am a physical manifestation of everything you hate about yourself. Including your Element."

"My Element?" Fluttershy inquired, blinking in confusion. "I don't hate my Element. If you don't mind, I'd really appreciate it if you didn't make such wild assumptions."

"Well, as a matter of fact, I do mind," said Fluttershy's Guilt, her voice slick with venom. "After all, we both know it's true. Being a goody-goody two-horseshoes is such a cumbersome burden, don't you find?"

"Oh, not at all," said Fluttershy, shaking her head. "I like being kind."

"Yes, kind," said Fluttershy's Guilt, stroking her chin with her hoof. "Not good, not bad, just kind."

"Huh?"

"Oh, don't you 'huh' me," Fluttershy's Guilt chided. "You let ponies pressure you and push you around because you're kind. You freed Orthrus from Tartarus because you're kind. You kowtow to the whims of an ungrateful little bunny rabbit because you're kind!"

"Hey! Don't talk about Angel like that!" Fluttershy snapped. "He's my friend!"

Fluttershy's Guilt scoffed. "Your friend? Oh, that's a laugh! Face it, Klutzershy! You don't have any friends! Nopony really gives a flying feather about you! They just want to use you and manipulate you, just like you were manipulated into freeing Orthrus! You are nothing but a little puppet who forged her own strings out of her so-called 'kindness!'"

Those words hurt Fluttershy like nothing else had before. It was as if this shadow of her ripped her heart out and began squeezing it between her hooves. Tears began to flow freely down her face as she sank to the ground.

"Aw, what's the matter? Is the poor wittle baby gonna cwy?" Fluttershy's Guilt taunted. "You think whimpering and sniveling like a child is going to make all of your crimes just magically disappear? 'Cause it's not! I will consume you, Fluttershy, and you know deep in your heart of hearts that nopony can stop me!"

As if answering to a direct challenge, Angel ran up to the doppelgänger and gave her a piece of his mind through his pantomime. Fluttershy's Guilt sneered.

"Aw, isn't that cute?" she said mockingly to Fluttershy. "The master puppeteer is upset because I'm breaking his favorite doll."

"S-stop it," Fluttershy mumbled, still weeping heavily. "I-it's not true. N-nothing you say is true."

"Deny it all you want. It just makes me stronger," said Fluttershy's Guilt. She then smacked Angel away with her hoof and lifted Fluttershy's head, forcing the frightened mare to stare the shadow in the eye.

"You are mine now," said Fluttershy's Guilt, licking her lips. "Whether you deny me or accept me, I'm going to keep haunting you until I get bored, and then I'll take my sweet time draining every last ounce of kindness from your puny little heart. A fitting punishment, don't you think?"

Discord looked over the scene in stone silence. Seeing the pain and anguish Fluttershy was going through made his own heart ache. He felt that she didn't deserve this fate. No, it was more than just a feeling. It was more like an undeniable fact. His best friend was being hurt. Not only that, but the one hurting her was a specter that he was all-too-familiar with.

You've been kind for far too long, my dear! Time to be cruel! Arrivederci!

Despite her claims, this impostor was not a manifestation of Fluttershy's guilt. Not in Discord's mind. It was nothing but a twisted apparition whose only point of existence was to make Fluttershy feel miserable for no good reason. Or even worse, it was meant to corrupt her, just as he once did. The very idea stirred up something fierce within the draconequus's heart. He clenched his mismatched hands into fists, wanting nothing more than to wink the horrid shadow out of existence.

"You're next, tyrant," said Judge, bringing Discord back to reality. "Your record is far from clean."

"And don't think your tricks will save you," added Jury. "We will be sure to fix anything you break. Just like with the timberwolves."

Discord said nothing, but inside, a light bulb was going off in his head. Everything made sense now. His powers weren't being countered. Someone else was just cleaning up after him. Or rather, they were breaking what he was trying to fix. No, making the specter of Fluttershy vanish wouldn't really solve anything, would it? He had to get rid of the real problem.

"You bring your doom upon yourself, just like Her Luminous and the pegasus," said Judge. "As long as guilt exists in your heart, justice will always trump chaos!"

Discord's face darkened as he turned to the Furies. A small, sinister grin appeared on his face.

"Oh ho ho ho, I would not make that bet," he chortled. Then, just as Executioner pounded the cloud and summoned another lightning bolt, he snapped his fingers.

Discord's Kangaroo Court

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Luminous Atonement Chapter 13:
Discord's Kangaroo Court

Right before the Furies' eyes, Discord disappeared in a burst of light. Judge snorted.

"Come back and fight, tyrant!" she shouted. "You are right to fear us, but no matter where you go, we will hunt you down!"

Discord's laughter echoed throughout the forest, causing the Furies to stand at full alert.

"Oh, that is rich," said the voice between chuckles. "I wouldn't dream of running away from you. You're just so much fun."

"We'll see who's laughing once your guilt takes hold," Judge snarled. She then summoned a thundercloud and pounded it with her gavel. The resulting bolt revealed Discord, who was hiding right behind them.

"Oh, wait. You're serious, aren't you?" said Discord, not the least bit perturbed. "You really think I'm afraid of you? Well, news flash: I'm not. Even if you use whatever magic you have to revert whatever I change, you cannot hold a candle to the Elements of Harmony."

He then snapped his fingers. Suddenly, he was wearing a nice suit and tie and holding a microphone and a set of cards. Three podiums appeared before the Furies, each of them marked with their respective names and housing a red button.

"Speaking of the Elements of Harmony, here's a little pop quiz," said Discord, looking at the card in his paw. "How exactly did I corrupt them? You have thirty seconds."

"We are not playing your game, you monster," Jury spat.

The sound of a buzzer resonated from behind Discord.

"Terribly sorry. Not only is that the wrong answer, but you didn't even buzz in," the draconequus said. "You get a penalty."

"I told you, we're not—"

Jury's proclamation was interrupted when the podium in front of her exploded. When the smoke cleared, she was covered in soot.

"Now, anypony else want to try?" Discord asked.

Judge banged the button with her gavel.

"Yes, Judge."

"You used deceit, trickery, manipulation, and your dark powers," Judge said coldly. "And for that, you will be punished."

The buzzer sounded again.

"Eh, that's technically correct," said Discord, throwing the cards away. "However, it's not the answer I was looking for. The correct answer is: I showed them the darker sides of their Elements. Things about what they represented that they found distasteful. I showed them that the truth is not always what we want it to be."

He snapped his fingers, and a mirror appeared before Judge. It showed a vision of the Furies stuck to each other, held together by cotton candy covering their wings. Then, without rhyme or reason, she found that the vision had come true. The Furies struggled against their bonds until Jury summoned a thundercloud that cut them loose with its bolts.

"I showed them that comedy is tragedy plus time."

Discord snapped his fingers again, and several heavy objects fell from the sky onto the Furies' heads. Executioner was the first to emerge from the rubble, and used her strength to free her compatriots.

"I showed them that when you truly treasure something, it's difficult to share."

Once again, Discord snapped his fingers. Several sharp gemstones rained from the sky. Jury summoned a cloud that absorbed them and flung it at Discord, who simply moved out of the way.

"I showed them the heart-wrenching dilemma of choosing between two loyalties."

Discord snapped his fingers, and the Furies found themselves in a vision of a crumbling Cloudsdale; the same one that corrupted Rainbow Dash. They darted every which way to avoid the tumbling towers before they found themselves back in the woods confronting the Master of Chaos.

"Your trickery and sly speech cannot fool us!" Jury barked. "We are harbingers of justice! We cannot be corrupted, no matter what you do!"

"Well, you got me there," said Discord, a wide grin appearing on his face. "But that's only because you delusional fools have your heads shoved so very far up your own flanks that you already did the work for me! I don't need to corrupt you! You already are corrupted! And the fact you don't realize it is just hilarious!"

Discord degenerated into a fit of laughter. The Furies, however, were not amused.

"You are out of order!" Judge roared, pounding her gavel against a thundercloud. The cloud shot several rings of lightning which latched themselves onto Discord's wrists and ankles. "As if a monster of chaos could understand anything about true justice. Speak not of what you can never possibly comprehend."

"Besides which, you neglected an Element in your little confession," said Jury.

"Oh, right! I'm glad you reminded me," said Discord. He then stuck out his tongue, which turned out to be a miniature version of Discord. The mini-Discord snapped its fingers, and the bonds on Discord's limbs disappeared.

"Thankth," he said to the miniature version of him.

"S'aright," said the mini-Discord before reverting back into Discord's regular snake tongue.

"Now then, where was I?" the draconequus pondered. "Ah, yes! There was indeed one Element that resisted my tricks and confronted my visions. She claimed to be weak and helpless, but oh, she was anything but. I had to cheat in order to corrupt her. And now, here you are doing the exact same thing. And don't tell me that you're doing what I could not, because that'll just make the irony all the more sweeter, and I would not be able to contain myself."

"She is being punished by her guilt," said Judge. "It's not the same."

"And her guilt just happens to be her polar opposite who stands against everything she stands for, is that it?" said Discord, folding his arms and raising a skeptical eyebrow. "Let's not forget that she's not to blame."

"Not to blame?!" parroted Jury. "She freed Orthrus from Tartarus!"

"Yes, because you told her to," said Discord.

"Her kindness told her to," Judge corrected. "That was her crime. She chose to be manipulated. You, however, use your sinister powers to make ponies behave however you want them to!"

There was suddenly a catchy ringtone coming from Discord's side.

"Excuse me, I have to take this," he said, taking a phone out of his pocket (which he randomly acquired). "Uh-huh. Uh-huh. Oh I know. Okay, bye!" He then hung up and turned back to the Furies. "That was the pot calling. The kettle says you're black."

Judge's eye twitched. "Say that again, tyrant. I dare you."

"I'll take that dare," Discord shot back. "You use your powers to manipulate ponies; I used my powers to manipulate ponies. If there's a difference, please show me, because I'm not seeing it."

"You use your powers for the sake of your own sick enjoyment," said Judge with a snort. "We use our powers for justice!"

"And that somehow makes everything you do right," said Discord with a snicker. "Y-you really don't realize how ridiculous you sound right now, do you?"

"You can never understand!" boomed Jury, pounding a thundercloud and sending bolts Discord's way. Discord bobbed and weaved around the bolts, but still managed to get scraped by a few.

"Oh, wait. You're serious about that?" he said, ignoring his wounds. "Alright then, let me laugh harder!"

He then burst into guffaws, holding his stomach and wriggling through the air.

"Stop laughing in the face of justice!" Judge ordered, banging her gavel against a thundercloud. The lightning zapped Discord's deer antler, sending shock waves through his body.

"Ooh, I felt that one," he said with a smirk as he recovered.

"You're about to feel more," Jury snarled. "Stop your nonsense and allow your guilt to consume you."

"I have a better idea. Let's both confess something that we've done wrong," said Discord, clearing his throat. "I admit that I was manipulative. I admit that I corrupted the Element Bearers. I admit to spreading chaos all across Equestria. I even admit to attempting to manipulate the goodwill of one who accepted me. There. Your turn."

Judge raised an eyebrow. "Our turn?"

"I just confessed all of my crimes," said Discord. "Now let me hear you confess to yours."

Before Judge could retort, Discord laughed. "Oh wait! You can't! Everything you do is already justified because you do it in the name of your so-called 'justice!' You three are just too funny for words! I could listen to your hypocritical double-talk for epochs!"

He then straightened up, and all humor and mirth disappeared from his voice. "There's just one teeny tiny little problem. You're hurting my friend."

The Furies stared at Discord blankly.

"We've already been over this," said Jury. "She's..."

"I didn't say you could speak," Discord snapped, buttoning the one-eyed pegasus's lip closed with his snake tail. "Now, as I was saying. You're hurting my friend. She's the one pony who resisted me. The one pony who would accept me. The pony who taught me the magic of friendship. And you have the gall to hypnotize her into doing something she would never do in a million years, and then punish her for it claiming to be acting in the name of 'justice?' That is something I cannot and will not tolerate. Now, I consider myself to be a rather easy-going fellow, but even I have my limits. If you give me any more of your delusional nonsense, no matter how funny it is, I'll make you regret it dearly. You may speak now."

The button disappeared from Jury's lip, and the three Furies stared back at the draconequus with contempt.

"We are immune to your mind games, tyrant," said Judge. "No matter what you say, you cannot corrupt justice."

"Each of your crimes will be punished," said Jury. "And after you, Princess Celestia and all of Equestria will follow. Nopony escapes the wrath of the Furies!"

Executioner pounded her hooves together and cracked her neck.

Discord sighed. "I tried to warn you," said he. "Now, it's time for you lovely ladies to see yourselves the way I see you."

He snapped his fingers, and three thunderclouds appeared before the Furies. They each produced a lightning bolt, which caused them to cast long shadows. From the shadows, several clones of the Furies emerged, advancing towards the original trio and speaking in a monotone daze.

"The ends don't justify the means."

"You are not really the Furies."

"Orthrus controls you."

"You are no different from Discord."

"You are hurting Discord's best friend for no good reason."

"Vengeance is not justice."

For the first time, the Furies showed genuine fear. They backed away from their shadowy counterparts, but soon found themselves completely surrounded.

"N-no. No, this can't be happening!" Judge shrieked. "Chaos shouldn't have power over justice! This is impossible!"

"Oh, didn't you know, my dear?" said Discord. "With me, anything is possible. After all, I'm Discord, the Master of Chaos. I don't believe I need to say anymore. Now then, I think you three have overstayed your welcome. Goodbye forever, and don't let the door hit your flanks on the way out!"

The shadows of the Furies began to converge on the original trio, grabbing at them and dragging them down. With howls of panic and fright, the three pegasi clawed and struggled in vain as they were dragged down into the shadows, never to be seen again.

"Well, that was fun," said Discord, dusting off his hands. "Now to tidy up the mess they made."

He looked over at Princess Luna and Nightmare Moon. The two mares were locking horns, and neither side seemed to be backing down.

"Hey, Queen Meanie!" Discord called out. "If you think this night is going to last forever, I've got a bridge to sell you!"

He snapped his fingers, and Luna leapt out of the way just in time. Sure enough, a large suspension bridge landed on Nightmare Moon, causing her to disappear into shadow. Luna panted heavily.

"Where *gasp* were you?" she inquired.

"Just taking care of business," said Discord. "Speaking of which..."

He then looked over at Fluttershy, who was still being bullied by her Guilt. He smiled and walked up to the impostor.

"What do you want?!" the dark Fluttershy snapped.

"You've been cruel for far too long, my dear. Time to be kind," said Discord, poking the shadow in the head with his eagle talon. "Arrivederci."

And just like that, the specter disappeared. Discord then turned to Fluttershy, who was still cowering on the ground and crying her little eyes out.

"It's alright, dearie," Discord said sweetly, lifting her chin with his lion paw. "Those hypocrites can't hurt you now. Not after what I did to them."

Fluttershy looked up at Discord, and found herself speechless. She then noticed Angel hopping over to her and giving her a pat on the head. She turned back to Discord, and a new set of tears marred her vision. In a flash, she flew straight at Discord, throwing her forelegs around him and sobbing into his chest.

"Um, Fluttershy? I'm, really not good at things like this," said Discord awkwardly. "Hmm. Angel, can you help me out here?"

Angel gave Discord a soft smirk and a wink. Discord sighed.

"Ah, the heck with it," he said, wrapping his mismatched arms around the weeping Fluttershy. "Th-there there. It's alright now. I'm right here."

Fluttershy tried to speak, but all she could do was hiccup and snivel.

"Shh. No need to cry, dearie," Discord said softly. "The Furies are gone. Their lies cannot hurt anypony anymore. Least of all you."

As Luna caught her breath and watched the scene before her, she couldn't help but get misty-eyed herself. "Philomena, am I seeing what I think I'm seeing?"

Philomena nodded and cawed.

"I-I was so scared," Fluttershy whimpered. "I-I didn't know what to do."

"I know, I know," said Discord, continuing to comfort her. "But remember, you're my friend. And no matter what, I would never let anything hurt you."

"R-really?"

"Cross my heart and hope to fly, stick a cupcake in my eye."

Fluttershy looked up at Discord and smiled through her tears. "I'm not even going to ask how you know about the Pinkie Promise," she said, giving the draconequus a big squeeze. "Thank you so much, Discord."

"Well, that's what friends do, right?" said Discord with a chuckle. "You taught me that."

He then set the timid pony down and pulled on the white tuft on the end of his snake tail. The tuft turned into a handkerchief and respawned, and Discord used said handkerchief to dry his friend's eyes.

"Well, at least we've stopped the rumors," said Luna. "But now what do we do? The Furies were our only lead to Orthrus."

"What about the Kraken?" asked Fluttershy.

"I doubt he'd be willing to tell us," said Luna with a sigh. "We don't have much to offer him."

Discord placed his paw to his chin and stroked his goatee in thought. "You know what, Lunatic? After my little tete-a-tete with the Furies, I think I've had my fun."

"Meaning what, exactly?" inquired Luna.

"I'm now willing to take you directly to Orthrus."

Luna gave Discord a half-smile. "Glad you came to your senses," said she. "And before you ask, I am indeed ready to face him."

"I am, too," Fluttershy pipped up. "We can't let him carry out his plans."

Philomena squawked in agreement, and Angel gave Discord a salute.

"Alrighty then!" said Discord, recovering his jubilant demeanor. "All aboard the Discord Express! Last stop: Orthrus!"

With that, he snapped his fingers, and they all disappeared in a burst of light.

Howling at the Moon

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Luminous Atonement Chapter 14:
Howling at the Moon

When Princess Luna opened her eyes, she found herself in a most familiar place. Though the only source of illumination was the light of the moon shining from outside, she recognized the ancient stone walls and the arches that once held windows. It was almost as if nopony had been here in ages.

"So this is where Orthrus is hiding," said Discord, taking a quick glance around. "Humph. Can't say much for his taste in decor."

"Um, is anypony else getting a sense of déjà vu?" Fluttershy inquired. "I feel like I've been here before."

"As do I," agreed Luna. "I can't put my hoof on it, but this place does seem..."

She trailed off as she caught sight of an empty pedestal in the center of the room. Her eyes widened with realization, and she smacked her hoof to her face.

"I cannot believe this!" she groaned. "How could we have missed this?!"

"Let me guess, we passed this place on our little journey," said Discord.

"We did?" said a clueless Fluttershy. "I don't remember this place."

"Fluttershy, remember when I came back as Nightmare Moon?"

"Um, yes?"

"And you and your friends chased me into the ancient ruins where the Elements of Harmony used to be kept in order to stop me?"

"Uh-huh..."

"That's where we are! All this time, Orthrus was hiding right here at the edge of the Everfree Forest! Why didn't I notice this earlier?!"

"Now now, Lunatic. There's no use complaining about it," said Discord. "Although I must admit, I do share your frustration. I guess it's true what they say: A joke is never funny the second time you hear it."

Luna snorted angrily. "I suppose you're right," she said, although her tone was still fierce. "The important thing is that this wild goose chase is over. Now, I can finally put an end to this."

Just then, a sinister howl echoed from the chamber ahead of them. Luna gripped her head with her hoof as it throbbed with pain.

"Sounds like he's thinking the same thing," Discord observed. "Are you going to be okay, Lunatic?"

"I'm, fine," Luna said in a strained tone. "Come, follow me. I know where he's hiding in the ruins."

Before anyone could say anything else, she galloped off ahead. The other four shared a collective shrug before taking off after her.

***

When they arrived in the next room, Fluttershy knew for sure that they were in the ancient ruins where the Elements of Harmony were once kept. Stretching out before them was a long hallway, dotted by towering marble columns and broken stained-glass windows. Standing at the far end on an elevated pedestal was a large twin-headed hound with ebony fur and two starry manes. His attention seemed to be focused on the skylight above. Before Luna could say anything, his right head turned and sneered.

"Ah, welcome," he said in a suave and sophisticated manner as he slowly turned around. "My, it has been such a long time since I last saw you, Mistress. Beautiful night, isn't it? Don't you just wish it could last forever?"

"Spare me, Orthrus," Luna spat. "You have a lot to answer for."

"Do I now?" said Orthrus's right head, his glowing red eyes gleaming.

"Don't play innocent with me," snarled Luna. "You created new Shadowbolts and had them resurrect the Furies. You had them hypnotize an innocent pegasus into letting you out of Tartarus. You placed a curse upon me that is preventing this night from ending. You used the Furies to slander me, my sister, Discord, the Element Bearers, anypony who would get in your way. Well, I'm not going to stand for it any longer. I made you what you are, Orthrus. And I can just as easily unmake you."

"Are you done?" asked Orthrus's left head. "Because all you succeeded to do is whet our appetites. We have nothing to fear from any of you."

"Forgive me if I disagree," said Discord, folding his mismatched arms. "You are truly delusional if you think your power can even compare to mine. But of course, you put your faith into my worthless cousin the Chimera, so why should I have expected otherwise?"

"You are the one who's delusional, draconequus!" the left head snapped angrily. "We are not the same as before. We can match you blow for blow. You've seen it yourself through the Furies."

"Yes, and how are those hypocritical comedians doing, hmm?" said Discord slyly. "Oh, right! Silly me! I sent them back to that wretched abyss they crawled out of."

"For all the good it did you," the right head snickered. "The damage has already been done, Discord. Every stallion, mare, and foal in Equestria still blame you and Nightmare Moon for this eternal night."

"That isn't true," Fluttershy said sternly, flying up to the great beast. "Lots of ponies know the truth. They know you're the one behind this."

"And who will believe them?" said Orthrus's right head as he stroked Fluttershy's mane with his enormous paw. "More importantly, what if word gets out that you were the one that freed me from Tartarus? I doubt you'd have many friends standing by your side if that were to happen."

Fluttershy smacked Orthrus's paw away with her hoof. "No," she said darkly. "No more mind games. My friends know what happened. I know for a fact that they would never abandon me, and nothing you say can convince me otherwise."

Philomena screeched in agreement, spreading her wings and opening her talons.

"I think we've all heard enough out of you," said Luna, arching her back and pawing the ground. "It's time I did what I should've done a long time ago."

"Likewise," said Orthrus's two heads in unison. The great hound then reared back and let loose a deafening howl. Luna was forced to the ground, clutching her head in agony. Plumes of starry smoke billowed from Orthrus's mouths and traveled out the window into the Everfree Forest.

"Get used to the pain, Mistress," said Orthrus's left head, licking his lips as he stared at Luna with hungry eyes. "Because that was but the overture."

As if on cue, several other howls echoed from the forest. Luna squirmed and writhed on the ground, screaming as her splitting headache grew in intensity.

"Th-that sounded like timberwolves," said Fluttershy.

"Good ear," said Orthrus's right head with a sinister grin. "Indeed, I have used my dark magic to take control of the timberwolves. Their howls, while less impressive than my own, should serve their purpose and keep Princess Luna in her place."

He then towered over the suffering princess. "How does it feel, Mistress?" the left head taunted. "All of Equestria is against you, and you are powerless to even lift a hoof against us. Submit to us now, and your end will be swift."

"No wonder you got along with my cousin so well, Orthrus," said Discord. "You both talk too much."

He then snapped his fingers, and a pair of earmuffs appeared on Luna's head. The lunar princess felt the pain in her head subside and slowly got to her feet.

"It matters not," said Orthrus's right head. "I can still overpower my mistress, even if you aid her."

Luna shook herself and turned to Discord. "Listen, we need a plan," she told the draconequus. "Think you can distract him?"

Before Discord could answer, Angel and Philomena charged in. Philomena spread her wings and blinded Orthrus's left head with her plumage while Angel kept taunting the right head with his pantomime.

"Huh. Seems like those two got it covered," said Discord. "Alright Lunatic, talk to me. You have any ideas?"

"Just one," said Luna. "But I don't think you're going to like it."

"Try me."

Luna motioned Discord to come closer. He did so and listened intently as she whispered in his ear. When she finished, he frowned.

"Okay, you were right. I don't like it," said he.

"Trust me, Discord. This may be our best chance," said Luna, keeping her voice low. "I'll be fine, I promise."

"Not exactly what I was worried about, but okay," said Discord with a shrug. "Shall I inform Fluttershy?"

"By all means," said Luna. "And be sure to fill Angel and Philomena in later."

Discord nodded, and then flew over to Fluttershy. After he had whispered Luna's plan to her, she gasped.

"Wh-what?" she said nervously. "B-but Your Highness, you can't..."

"Fluttershy, you have to trust me on this," Luna insisted. "I already told Tia, I don't need a foalsitter. I can handle myself just fine, I promise."

"W-well, I don't know..."

"Please, Fluttershy. This is my royal decree as your princess."

Fluttershy mulled it over in her mind for a while. After a pause, she looked over at the Princess of the Night. "Pinkie Promise me you'll be okay."

Luna smiled. "Cross my heart and hope to fly, stick a cupcake in my eye. That's, how it goes, right?"

"Yes," said Fluttershy with a smile and a nod. "Alright, I'm in. Just be careful, alright?"

"I shall," said Luna with a solemn nod of her own.

With that, Discord snapped his fingers and a bright light cloaked the room. When the light dimmed, only Princess Luna and Orthrus remained. Orthrus shook himself to recover from the distraction and looked down at Luna, a nefarious grin appearing on both of his faces.

"You foolish little foal," his right head chortled. "After the pain you just experienced, you insist on fighting me alone?"

"This is my battle," said Luna firmly, adopting a battle position once again. "I'm the only one you want, after all. Ever since I created you, all you ever wanted was to overthrow me. You placed this curse upon my head to make me suffer; to force me to bow down to you. You intend to break my spirit before destroying me utterly, just as you intended to do a thousand years ago."

Her body seemed to radiate energy; her eyes becoming glowing blank pupils. "WELL HEAR THIS, YOU WRETCHED CUR!" she bellowed in her Canterlot voice. "WE SHALT NOT FALL TO THE LIKES OF THOU! THOU HATH CAUSED US ENOUGH SUFFERING TO LAST US A LIFETIME! AND AS LONG AS WE REMAIN STANDING, THOU SHALT NEVER CONQUER EQUESTRIA!"

Orthrus's two heads sneered as he too adopted a battle position. "Well then, we/I shall just have to rectify that," both heads said in unison. He then pounced towards his former mistress while Luna's horn glowed with magic.

"HAVE AT THEE!" she boomed, firing a spell to meet Orthrus's charge.

Luminous Atonement

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Luminous Atonement Chapter 15:
Luminous Atonement

Princess Luna's spell hit Orthrus in between his two heads. The great hound was propelled back, flipping in midair before landing on his paws with a mighty thud that shook the foundations of the ruins.

"Impressive," Orthrus's right head snarled. "But all you are doing is delaying the inevitable."

He then let loose a low howl. While Discord's earmuffs protected Luna from the sound, she was not prepared for what happened next. Before her eyes, Orthrus dissolved into purple smoke and disappeared into the cracks of the ruins. Scowling, she kept her guard up.

"Do not think that you can fool me, Orthrus," she growled. "I know you wouldn't run away from a fight like this. Come out and show yourself!"

"As you command, Mistress."

Luna turned to the source of Orthrus's voice and fired a bolt of magic from her horn. Sure enough, the great beast had appeared behind her. However, she was shocked to find that Orthrus absorbed the counterattack as if it were nothing. Before Luna could ready another spell, Orthrus slapped her to the side with one blow of his great paw. Luna skidded across the floor a few times before catching herself with her wings. When she had recovered, she was horrified to discover that the force of the blow knocked Discord's earmuffs off her head. Before she could make an effort to retrieve them, several howls resonated from the forest. The ensuing migraine forced the poor alicorn to her knees.

"It seems you have lost your last hope," Orthrus's left head gloated as he crushed the earmuffs with his mighty paw. "Now nothing in Equestria can save you from our wrath."

Luna glowered at Orthrus with all the spite she could muster as she forced herself to her feet. "I cannot, be defeated here," she said in a strained tone. "I-I am going to fix this."

"You can try," Orthrus's right head said with a sneer. "But you really have no chance. Even if you had the dark powers that created me in the first place, you still wouldn't be able to best me."

Luna snorted, not willing to dignify the monster with a retort. Instead, she charged forward, spreading her wings and forming a magic wall in front of her. Orthrus tried to swipe her out of the way with his paw again, but she nimbly sprang into the air and propelled herself into a sharp dive. She hit Orthrus square in his left forehead. He fought against the charge, locking the two into a test of strength. Orthrus's right head eyed her carefully, waiting for the opportune moment to strike. When he felt he found his opening, he snapped at the young alicorn with his sharp teeth.

But just as he was about to sink his teeth into her, she disappeared in front of his eyes. His forward momentum from resisting the charge cause him to stumble, and he fell to the ground with a mighty boom. Luna reappeared above him, determination still burning in her teal eyes.

"I am more powerful than you give me credit for, Orthrus," she said coldly. "And I will not rest until you are stopped. That is my solemn vow."

"A word to the wise, Mistress," Orthrus's left head growled as he got to his feet. "Do not make solemn vows that you cannot hope to keep!"

He reared back and let loose a powerful howl that could be heard for miles. Luna tumbled to the ground as the piercing pain struck her like a lightning bolt to the forehead. When the howl subsided, she opened her eyes to find herself surrounded by starry smoke. Suddenly, her eyes began to water and she was forced into a nasty coughing fit. Spreading her wings, she tried to fan the offending smoke away. Alas, her efforts were in vain, as the smog was too dense.

Gradually, she started to feel woozy. The entire room spun around her as it became a chore just to stand upright. She shut her eyes and tightened every muscle, hoping to banish the feeling from her body. But in her effort to keep herself from collapsing, she did not notice Orthrus charge forth and snap at her with his enormous jaws. The very sound of large teeth gnashing together startled her out of her wits, and caused her to fall on her back.

"Scared you, didn't we?" chortled Orthrus's left head. "That was but a taste of what we have in store for you and Equestria."

Luna shook herself and struggled to get back on her feet. However, the toxic smoke still hindered her senses. With a growl, she closed her eyes, and her horn began to shine with dark blue energy. After a pause, her eyes snapped open, and a concussive shock wave blasted from her horn, dissipating the smog and flipping Orthrus over onto his back.

"You should not be so complacent," she said boldly. "I would sooner perish than allow Equestria fall into your paws."

"That can be arranged," said Orthrus's left head as the great hound flipped himself over again and caused a tremor that made Luna stumble. "After all, that shall be your ultimate fate."

Luna was about to respond when the timberwolves began howling again. The torment was even worse than before as she collapsed to the stone floor and clutched her head in agony.

"You see, the moon has always fascinated us," said Orthrus's left head as he began pacing around the princess like a wild beast stalking its prey. "It just looks so, delicious. Up in the night sky, shining amongst the stars. We have to wonder; what would it taste like? Sweet? Savory? Perhaps it's not even something to eat, but merely a large chew toy. We have pondered this question since you created us, and soon, we will find out for ourselves."

"Besides which, it's unnecessary," Orthrus's right head added. "What's the point of eternal darkness if everypony can still see what's in front of their faces? How am I supposed to instill fear in my subjects when that blasted ball of light gives them hope? Even as Nightmare Moon, you did not consider this flaw in your majestic nights."

"And because your moon is so appetizing..."

"So annoying..."

"So tantalizing..."

"So inconvenient..."

The great hound stopped pacing and looked down upon Luna with hungry eyes. "We/I must devour you, and snuff it out forever."

Luna glared at Orthrus, tears of pain stinging her eyes as she struggled to her feet. The torture inflicted by the howling timberwolves prevented her from standing tall, but the blaze in her eyes simply would not die. Slowly, she walked towards Orthrus, wobbling and stumbling every so often.

"I will *nngh* not let that *augh* come to pass!" she spat, grunting and groaning in agony as she advanced.

Orthrus's two heads looked at each other and began roaring with laughter.

"Stubborn as a mule to the very end, aren't you?!" Orthrus's left head guffawed. "Take a look around you, Ex-Mistress! You are alone! Everypony has turned their backs on you!"

"Not only this, but you have reached your limits," Orthrus's right head chimed in. "Face it, my little pony! All hope is lost!"

"Oh, now I wouldn't say that."

A familiar sly voice echoed in the chamber. Orthrus looked around, confused by this turn of events. Luna smiled weakly.

"Took you long enough," she muttered.

All of a sudden, several viewing portals popped up all around them. Portals of ponies watching in Canterlot, Ponyville, Fillydelphia, and beyond. The last portal that appeared looked like an announcer's booth, with Discord and Fluttershy sitting side by side.

"Fillies and gentlecolts, live from the Everfree Forest, it is the fight for the fate of Equestria: Her Royal Eminence of the Night Lunatic versus an actual raving lunatic!" the Master of Chaos proclaimed. "I'm your host, Discord!"

"And I'm, Fluttershy," Fluttershy mumbled, hiding her face behind her bangs. "Um, Discord? I'm, not comfortable doing this."

"Oh pshaw, my dear. It's not us they're watching," said Discord. "It's the actual cause of this eternal night! Yes folks, you heard right! Those rumors about Nightmare Moon and me? They're all a bunch of rubbish spewed by this two-headed flea factory! Don't believe me? Here's the proof for those of you who are just joining us! Angel, roll the footage!"

The screen with Discord and Fluttershy disappeared, and replacing it was a replay of the entire adventure, from start to finish. Orthrus snarled.

"Pah! You're too late, draconequus!" his left head snapped. "The Princess of the Night is as good as ours! The truth cannot save her now!"

"Don't listen to him, Princess Luna! We believe in you!"

"The Great and Apologetic Trixie vows that you shall not lose to the cretin!"

"C'mon, everypony! Lend Princess Luna your strength! It's the least we can do after doubting her."

"Let's go Luna! Don't be troubled! With our help, your fun will be doubled! Goooooo, Luna~!"

"You can't give up, dear sister. Not now, not ever."

The sounds of encouragement from every corner of Equestria drowned out the howls of the timberwolves. Orthrus barked angrily at the screens, hoping to silence them. However, his efforts were in vain. Luna stood tall against Orthrus, her horn glowing with intense energy.

"All of Equestria knows the truth, Orthrus," she proclaimed. "And now, they will all see as I put a stop to your dark designs, once and for all!"

She then closed her eyes and recited a spell in her Canterlot voice.

"FULL MOON, NEW MOON
HALF, WAX, WANE,
PROVIDETH THE GLOW
THAT IS EVIL'S BANE!"

Her eyes snapped open, revealing blank white pupils radiating power. Around Orthrus, two circles of glowing beads manifested. Each bead seemed to represent a phase of the moon. The beads converged on the great hound, clamping around his necks like collars. Orthrus howled in pain as the beads sparked with energy. The howls caused Luna's migraine to return, but she fought against it as she maintained her concentration. The battle of wills played out before all of Equestria until finally, Orthrus's howl petered out.

Luna looked over her handiwork as she recovered from her powerful spell. The beads around Orthrus's necks continued to pulse with energy, and Orthrus lay unconscious on the ground. Luna panted heavily, a smile of triumph on her face.

"Now as long as the moon you hate so much shines in the night sky, you will remain unable to use your dark powers," she said between pants. "Not even an eclipse would grant you enough of a window of opportunity. You are finished, Orthrus. And you will be brought back to Tartarus where you belong."

With that, she felt her strength ebb as she fell to the ground once more. Completely and utterly exhausted from the whole ordeal, she looked out the window towards her home in Canterlot.

I, did it, Tia, she thought to herself. I, finally atoned for Nightmare Moon's greatest mistake...

She had just enough time to see the radiant glow of the new dawn before she passed out.

Morning Dew

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Luminous Atonement Chapter 16:
Morning Dew

As Princess Luna regained consciousness, she felt a slight nudging against her cheek. Slowly, she opened her eyes. Although her vision was blurry, she could tell that she was no longer in the ruins. When her vision fully returned, she found that she was in bed, and that Discord and Fluttershy were hovering over her while Philomena nuzzled her cheek.

"Well, good morning, sleepyhead," said Discord. "About time you decided to wake up. I was this close to drawing a mustache on your face."

"Discord, don't you think she's been through enough?" Fluttershy said as she raised an eyebrow. "Besides, she's only been unconscious for a few hours."

"As a creature of chaos, I get bored easily," said Discord with a shrug. "I would think you of all ponies would know that by now, Fluttershy."

"W-wait. Wait a minute. Morning?" said Luna, still feeling very drowsy. "I-is it really morning?"

"See for yourself," said Discord with a snap of his fingers. The window on the other side of the room removed itself from the wall, carrying the view with it. It floated in front of Luna's face, and sure enough, the sun was shining as brightly as ever. Luna smiled and breathed a sigh of relief.

"So, it's all over," said she.

"Yes, Your Highness," said Fluttershy with a nod. "The curse on you has been lifted, and Orthrus has been returned to Tartarus without any complications. I'm so glad that everything is back to normal."

"As am I," said Luna. "I need not worry about my mistakes as Nightmare Moon ever again. Words cannot describe how much relief that brings me."

"Yep, now that mangy mutt of yours is back in Tartarus, permanently this time," said Discord. "I gotta hand it to you, Lunatic. Your little plan worked like a charm. Although I'm still a bit peeved that I had to miss out on all the fun, showing everypony in Equestria your battle with Orthrus was just the thing to get them all back on our side."

"I thought it would," said Luna. "Orthrus wanted to isolate me so that he could break my spirit. I had to fool him into thinking that I was alone when I really wasn't. And honestly, I couldn't have done it without your help. In fact, I don't think I would've gotten half as far as I did if I didn't have you all by my side. Each and every one of you have my thanks."

"And to think you were initially against having me tag along," Discord said teasingly.

"It was, not a problem, Your Highness. I'm flattered, really," said Fluttershy, blushing deeply.

Angel bowed to the lunar princess while Philomena cawed happily.

"Ah, you're awake."

A warm, familiar voice made itself known. Discord and Fluttershy moved to one side as Princess Celestia walked in.

"It's good to see you, Celie," Luna said with a smile.

"You as well," said Celestia. "How are you feeling?"

"Still a bit weak, but I'll be fine," said Luna. "At the very least, the pain is gone."

"That's good to hear," said Celestia. By this point, Luna noticed something about her sister.

"Tia, a-are you crying?" she asked, tilting her head.

Celestia smiled as she looked over to Luna. Indeed, she was very misty-eyed. "Is it really that strange of a sight, Luna?" she said warmly. She then breathed a deep sigh. "I'm just happy to see you safe and sound. I was so worried about you."

Luna gave a sigh of her own. "Tia, I..."

"I know what you're going to say," Celestia said, cutting across her younger sister. "And let me just say that it's a lot more complicated than you think."

"What do you mean?" Luna inquired.

Celestia took a deep breath before responding. "Luna, I have nothing but the utmost confidence in your abilities. And I knew that as long as you didn't give up, you'd pull through. Nevertheless, we were in the dark for almost the entire time. I had no idea what would happen to you while you were out there. It was, quite frightening."

Discord stared blankly at Celestia for a moment. "Hang on, I think I have something in my ear," he said, reaching into his ear with his talon. Sure enough, he pulled out a cupcake. "Huh, how did that get in there? As if I really have to ask." He then threw the cupcake away and turned back to the princess. "Now then, did you just say that you, the pony who prepares for everything and is always one step ahead, were scared?"

Celestia chuckled. "Even I can't prepare for everything, Discord. And even I have my fears," She then turned back to Luna. "While the Furies spread their dark rumors all across Equestria, I was worried that you would start to feel lonely. When I heard from Twilight about your encounter with the timberwolves, I couldn't bear to picture you suffering so badly. I knew that you wouldn't give in that easily, and I had faith in you every step of the way. But even so..."

The great white alicorn trailed off, shedding a few tears. Luna shuffled over and wrapped her forelegs around her older sister.

"I'm sorry I worried you, Celie," she cooed. "But, this was something I had to do. Something I should've done a long time ago."

"I know, Luna. I know," said Celestia, returning the hug. "And I'm very proud of you for all of the courage and strength you showed. But even more than that, I'm glad you're okay. I love you, little sister."

"And I you, Sis," Luna whispered.

As the two alicorns shared a touching moment, Fluttershy smiled warmly.

"Maybe we should leave them alone for a while," she whispered to Discord.

"Agreed," Discord said as they quietly left the room. "I'm not really into that mushy stuff, anyway."

Angel smirked and raised an eyebrow at the draconequus.

"Oh, come on! That bit with the Furies doesn't count!" Discord growled.

Angel shrugged and rolled his eyes, clearly not believing him.

"Now now, you two. There's no need to argue," Fluttershy chided with a giggle.

"Well, at least we're on better terms now," said Discord with a shrug. "Flying through a gauntlet of dragons and teaching that bunny a lesson in humility tends to do that."

"I suppose," said Fluttershy. "Although, I'll thank you not to remind me about the dragons."

"Right, right. Sorry," Discord apologized. He paused for a moment as he continued to walk alongside Fluttershy through the halls of Canterlot Castle. "So, what's next on your agenda, my dear?"

"Well, I think I'll be taking the first train back to Ponyville," Fluttershy answered.

"Aw, leaving so soon?" Discord asked, sounding a bit disappointed.

"Oh, I'm terribly sorry, Discord. It's just that I've had enough adventure to last me a while," said Fluttershy. "I just want to get back home and relax. You understand, right?"

"Hmm. Yeah, I see where you're coming from," Discord mused. "But be sure to visit again soon, alright? I certainly enjoy your company. Of course, try to pick a time when one of the monsters of Tartarus doesn't get any bright ideas."

"I'll keep that in mind," Fluttershy chuckled. "Actually, I don't think the next train is scheduled to leave for a while. We can still spend some time together if you want."

"Nothing would make me happier, my dear Fluttershy," said Discord with a smile. "You know, come to think of it, we never did get to finish our little picnic..."

The End