It could have been hours before Night came to, having collapsed out of pure shock from the news received. In reality, only just over twenty minutes passed. He honed in on the letter, which rolled itself back into a cylindrical shape on the floor beside him without a ribbon around it.
What the letter itself discussed almost seemed illegitimate. There was no possible way it could have been true. Yet, it seemed to be the exact opposite.
Just to be for certain that he had not misread, Night stretched a shaky hoof, sliding the letter closer and unraveling it, eyes only scanning the lower portion of the paper. The words remained, and he stared with a parted maw, remaining very much shaken by the news.
"S-she has to be joking..." Night's eyes shot wide open again, staring off in front of him. "M-my father... my father, Major Skywatcher of Fang Legion, Governor of Batsburg?!"
Eventually realizing where he was, he pressed himself onto all fours slowly and placed the letter on his cluttered desk, where Night took a step back to scrutinize the letter.
Despite his doubts on the reality of it, Celestia would never lie about something as important as this. He knew that much.
Night took in a deep breath, then exhaled slowly. At least in the two weeks between now and the royal gathering, he had plenty of time to prepare—both his schedule, and his composure, and with the last of the funerals finished, that would make for one less thing for him to be concerned about that would conflict with his work.
He walked back up to his desk, pushing the letter aside, returning to the piles of unopened envelopes. For the moment, much more important matters must be attended to.
***
Night trotted through the streets, heading for the dry cleaner only a few blocks away from the Palace gates. With only a few days to go, he took this time to prepare his dress uniform, which sat flat on his back, folded neatly, and would pick it back up the following day.
He trotted through the open door of the cleaner's, stopping at the counter and ringing the bell, catching the shop owner's attention from in back. Moving slowly on the hanging conveyor belt, dresses and suits brought in by other ponies circulated the narrow building. Most, if not all of these clothes sat wrapped in plastic bags for protection from dirt.
Through the moving hanging clothes like a magician through a curtain, the sky-blue unicorn mare with small, rounded glasses sitting on her nose stepped up to the desk, greeting Night with a warm smile. "Hello there, Night! What will it be today?"
"Same as always," Night replied, returning the smile and placing his folded uniform on the lower portion of the counter, sliding it across. "You know the drill."
The mare nodded, taking his suit and unfolding it. "Of course. I will be right back!" then disappeared back behind the curtain of moving dresses and suits.
Night turned away from the counter, seating himself on a chair against the wall to wait patiently. Having come here—and only here—for years, him and the mare, the only pony working at this shop, developed as acquaintances and no further. She continued to be the only dry cleaner in Canterlot he trusted most with his uniform as she continued to serve the hundreds of guards around the city.
He gently tapped his hoof on his leg, staring at the floor. When the bell above the door rung and the noise of metallic hoofsteps on the tile floor caught his attention, Night glanced up and to the left, smiling softly. "Hey, Thunder."
"Hey," Thunder smiled back, walking up to the counter, carrying his own dress clothes. "Didn't expect to bump into you here."
Taking note of his black-and-red dress uniform, Night moved his gaze up. "I take it you got the invitation, too?"
"You bet," the grey pegasus placed his suit on the counter—not nearly folded as neatly as Night's was when he walked in. "Congratulations."
Night let off a chuckle. "What for?"
"Your father, duh!" Thunder replied with a smile. "I didn't even know he was running for Governor."
The smile on Night's muzzle faded, his eyebrow raising. He now had a puzzled look on his face. "You know what, I didn't either. He would have told me."
Thunder cocked his head slightly. "He hasn't said anything?"
"Not before now, or when I was in the hospital. I wonder if he even knows?"
The lighter-grey stallion shrugged, bewildered. "That sounds sketchy."
Night nodded in agreement. "No kidding."
"I had no clue the elections had even started for your town."
"We don't have elections. Our colonies have followed a tradition for centuries where leadership is passed down, like a family heir. To my knowledge, our former Governor didn't plan on my father being the next in line to lead the colony," Night explained, still puzzled, looking down to his hooves.
"Then again, Celestia addressed her plans to change our political system to align us with other cities and towns, to have proper elections to assign members to run Batsburg. That still... doesn't make much sense."
"Well, either way it goes, I imagine that will be quite the weight to take on all of a sudden, even for your father."
"If he isn't stressed in life now, he will be then," Night chuckled, albeit nervously. "I don't know what to think of this, not even a week after receiving the notice."
"I had to re-read it a few times for it to process," Thunder said, frowning and tapping the bell on the counter.
"I passed out," Night frankly replied, cheeks heating with some embarrassment.
"Who can blame you? Even for you, that's a lot to take in. How do you feel about it now, though?"
Night went silent, his gaze falling to the floor in thought. He glanced up at Thunder after almost a full minute. "Is it normal if I'm feeling, I dunno, hesitant? Nervous, yeah, but hesitant?"
"Hesitant? For what?"
"Him taking office. It won't be the same anymore. We write every so often when neither of us are too busy, but now, he won't have a day where he isn't preoccupied with holding the city on his shoulders. He'll have his own guard detail—probably the troops in his platoon, or something—and so will my mom and sister," Night thoroughly explained, eyes steadily falling to the floor a second time.
"He won't just be a soldier anymore, or he might not be one at all in the end, and he won't be the first soldier to lead the colony. If anything, our previous Governor was one of the few to not have served in some way. If there's ever a time where we go to war, there's no exception for him not to fight."
"On top of that, he technically holds top rank above Fang Legion. The Governor gives the orders. But, he is still a major. That's... beyond confusing. Commander Kozak gave him orders, but now, it seems, a lower rank will be the one pushing him around."
Night slowly eased back into his chair, his bright gold eyes meeting the cool blue ones of Thunder's. "All in all, I'm nervous. Not just for him, but for everypony."
"You think he won't be a good Governor?" Thunder blinked twice.
"It's not that, it's the idea that this is being left for him to deal with, especially after over a month since the previous one died. I wouldn't say the town has fallen into chaos, but, without a leader to look to, ponies have been confused as to what they should be doing to rebuild."
"Well," Thunder paused, eyes setting on the wall beside Night, then back. "I have faith in your father. Being around him, both on a normal day, and on the battlefield, he is a resilient stallion. It's as if nothing can bring him down. He took that spear like a champion years back, and it didn't even come close to killing him! This will just be a new test for him, his greatest one yet. All we can do is put our trust in him."
Night stared blankly forward, only to slowly nod moments after, his expression blank. "Which I do, and I will for as long as he is Governor."
Thunder nodded once, smiling warmly. "Then he will do great, I know it."
"I don't doubt it. But, I have my—"
"—concerns?" Thunder finished for him. "I understand that. As I said, the best either of us can do is trust him. Besides, I imagine if the work becomes overwhelming enough, he can assign somepony to help him out."
"I suppose he could do that, but, he won't. I know him too well."
"Then tell him that if the time comes. Pressure him until he falls through and gets the help he needs. Just saying 'Hey, dad, you need some help. Why don't you hire somepony?' won't do anything. You get me?" Thunder gestured a hoof to his chest.
Night responded with a nod, cracking a smile at Thunder's mock of his voice. "I sound nothing like that."
***
With the aid of a mirror just narrowly taller than himself placed against the wall, Night adjusted the collar of his night-blue uniform to where it didn't constrict around his throat as much as past attempts. Of all things to go awry, it just had to be the collar, he thought to himself.
Even over four years later, it irked him most that the buttons on his uniform weren't silver, which in his mind, would have been a much better fit to the color scheme of the suit. For Luna's sake, he settled with the idea of not mentioning it, or taking matters into his own hooves and replacing the gold buttons with his preference.
At last, he breathed normally, no longer restricted by the tight, lopsided collar he had spent the last half an hour fumbling with and just narrowly keeping his cool at every time it would slide back into an uncomfortable position.
Sighing out contently, Night opened his eyes, examining himself thoroughly in the mirror, even admiring himself in the mean time. Even better, the cast on his wing made its way to the garbage bin.
Without a need for it any longer, he couldn't have been more elated to shred it off. Yet, with his rehabilitation instructor's advice, he still very much had a lengthy road ahead. With the last of his wounds from the battle long healed, his near-limp wing stood out prominently as the big reminder of what happened—even now, a whole month later.
Alas, his wing placed itself farthest away in his mind, for tonight he would bear witness to a momentous occasion. Not just for Equestria, or his colony, but his family as a whole. It marked a new future for him, his parents, his sister, and the rest of his fellow ponies.
He inhaled deeply, washing away his worries and easing himself in a second, relieving sigh. Without wasting another second in the mirror, he turned around and made his way for the door, then out into the hallway.
While his father's swearing-in ceremony was strictly not a public one, nor the party that would follow, the palace ballroom suited for the likely masses of Legion soldiers and Royal guards attending.
It wouldn't be very long either—three days, to be precise—until a second ceremony, this time in Batsburg, is set to take place, where Skywatcher would give an opening speech to the colony ponies directly as the new Governor.
Night entered through the open doors of the ballroom, which steadily filled with finely-dressed guards and soldiers of either branches and from Fang Legion, having traveled this far to observe the ceremony from the rows of chairs lined beneath a short podium at the far tip of the circular-ended hall.
Some already seated themselves. Most, if not all of the ponies engaged in conversations with one another. The Zodiacs, Sharpblade, Thunderblast, Harmonic Percussion, even Redflare, along with others Night knew well stood at the front row, either standing or sitting down. Both of the princesses, for the moment, remained absent and were expected to appear at the start of the ceremony.
Sneaking up behind them, Night tapped the shoulders of his mother and sister, startling them both. "Boo."
"Night!" Dawn screeched, flailing hooves at him without actually hitting him. "Don't scare me like that!"
Grinning, he brought her into a hug and rubbed his hoof in her mane in a noogie, bringing another screech of slight annoyance out of his sister, fumbling to get his probably-filthy hooves off of her. "Stop thaaaat!"
"What, you gonna hit me? Show me what you've got," Night smirked playfully.
"Oh, I'll hit you into next Tues—" Dawn was suddenly stopped by an outstretched hoof between her and Night, with Midnight shaking her head in dismay.
"Now, Dawn, respect your brother's wing. He's still in pain from it."
He really wasn't, but Night went along with it. "Oooh, yeah, ouch. My wing really hurts. Oh, the pain!" he acted ever-so dramatically, leaning his head in Dawn's direction with a hoof on his forehead.
The smaller mare shoved at his chest gently, not even strong enough to budge him. "Ha ha, very funny, Night," she tossed a sharp look at him and wrinkled her muzzle. "Hey, where is Dad?"
"Probably with the princesses, or having a panic attack in the bathroom somewhere," Night replied, shrugging.
"Don't say that!" Midnight poked him in the shoulder. "Your father is beyond capable of holding himself together in these situations."
"Sarcasm, mother," Night winked, nudging her right back. "I'm sure it's the first of the two."
As the minutes ticked by, more guards and bat ponies trickled into the room, the only noise to be heard being the ambiance of chatter between many discussing Skywatcher, jokes, and every little thing in between.
Not long after the last pony trotted into the ballroom, a single unicorn guard stood just beyond the door and spoke up above the crowd to gather their attention.
"Please be seated, the princesses shall arrive shortly!" he announced, turning and walking back around the corner after finishing.
At his word, ponies took their seats, filling the last of the fold-up chairs placed neatly on either sides of the red silk-carpet aisle. The chatter resumed, albeit quieter as everypony patiently waited for the princesses of the day and night to arrive, along with the soon-to-be-dubbed Governor of Batsburg.
No more than a couple of minutes later, a different guard strode nonchalantly into the room, addressing to them, "All rise and welcome Princess Celestia, and Princess Luna of Equestria!"
The collective shuffling of ponies standing up echoed slightly within the hall, going silent as the alicorn sisters walked side-by-side along the center of the aisle, donning each one of their finest dresses to match not only their physical colors, but their individual personalities.
Celestia, a white-and-gold dress that covered her lower half with a thin train that followed no more than a couple feet behind her. Luna, with an all-dark blue dress that sparkled much like the stars in her forever-floating mane. While her gown did not have a train, it still very much covered her lower half, only just above the floor and shadowing her legs inside, like a black hole.
Many dazzled to either of the princesses' attire, and how with seemingly every event, no two dress they wore had been the same as one in the past. A certain unicorn mare came to mind, one that Night knew would spasm at the sight. For all he knew, she probably made the dresses. Then again, her and her friends—the Elements of Harmony—would have shown up if that were the case.
In a wave, ponies bowed respectfully for the two mares, followed by one of their corresponding guards, Luna's being none other than Silent Knight, who broke posture only for a split second to nod in Night's direction as he passed.
Just behind their guards, Skywatcher sauntered along in a steady, military-like posture, in his black-and-blue uniform suit that proudly showed off a sizable rack of ribbons above his left breast. A small smile sat on his muzzle, eyes shifting to his son, daughter, and wife in the front row. Behind them, a pair of Royal guards closed the doors.
Positioning themselves on the podium as every pony stood back up, it was Princess Celestia who first spoke. "Please, be seated."
Once more, a collective shuffling of ponies sitting down, filling every last chair in the room. Rather than continuing, Celestia took a step back, making room for her younger sister.
"Friends, family, guards, and soldiers. We gather here on this wonderful, warm late afternoon to celebrate and mark the beginning of a new era," Luna began, all one-hundred eyes setting on her. "A new era of leadership that shall continue for many years to come. In tradition of long-lived bat pony culture, as agreed between myself and my sister, a new Governor of the colony of Batsburg has been elected."
"Following much inquiry, argument, and pouty-faces," Luna paused, ponies chuckling softly at that and bringing a notable smile out of her and Celestia. "It has been determined the millennia-old custom shall remain untampered by any and all Equestrian royalty. Because of this, we join together to welcome and congratulate the newest leader of the colony."
The night-blue alicorn shifted her attention to the formally-dressed draft bat pony stallion, retaining her smile. "Major Skywatcher, come."
As told, the tall stallion strode closer, standing before the lunar princess as Celestia exchanged her a small closed book. She then glanced toward Night. "Captain, as family of the soon-to-be Governor, Captain of my Zodiacs, and my best friend, I privilege you the honors of swearing in your father."
Maw parting with surprise, Night stood up, gently patted on the shoulder by his mother. He walked steadily up onto the podium, taking Luna's place on it, as well as the book in his hooves. He stood opposite of his father, their eyes making direct contact.
"Major Skywatcher, Dad," he began. "Place your left hoof on the cover, raise your right hoof, and repeat after me."
With a smile, Skywatcher set his left hoof on the cover of the book that Night held, then lifted his right hoof to chin-level.
"I, Major Skywatcher of Fang Legion."
"I, Major Skywatcher of Fang Legion..."
***
As day turned to dusk, a party erupted in the palace ballroom. Chatter ignited, each pony—prominently his family, friends, and fellow soldiers taking time to congratulate Skywatcher on his newly-appointed position, before things truly kicked off, as if it were a miniature gala, but for guards and soldiers.
Glancing in the direction of the buffet tables, Skye Racer's eyes widened. "Don't look now, she's in her mood."
"Heeeeey!" called a drunk Scarlet, approaching from where an assortment of alcoholic beverages sat, carrying a glass filled almost to the top with red wine. She giggled softly, resting up against Sharp's side. He only rolled his eyes while she messily gulped from the glass.
"Will there ever be a party you go to where you're not getting drunk, Scar?" Zipline furrowed an eyebrow.
"Only when the booze has a price on it, heheheh," she responded, grinning at the red-maned stallion and finishing off the wine with an audible 'aaaah', before turning to Sharp and beginning to feel at his hardened body. "My, you're a strong stallion. You and Lodestar brothers or something?"
The grey draft unicorn fixed his eyes onto Night, faintly blushing as the smaller mare felt across his chest and shoulders. "Night, a little help here?"
Turning to him, Thunderblast smirked. "What, never been handled by a mare before?"
"I have, just not in the middle of a party!" Sharp quietly said the last bit, briefly glancing back to Scarlet, who giggled drunkenly.
Chuckling, Night strode over, prying Scarlet off of him. "All right, that's enough. Leave the celibate sergeant alone," he said, looping a hoof around her once he put some distance between the two.
Sharp shook his head slowly and let out an annoyed huff through his nostrils, ears flattening out.
Trotting over, Skywatcher joined in to the small crowd. "About time I found you all," he smiled.
"Hey, Dad! Welcome, and congrats," Night returned the smile, raising his glass and nodding once.
"Hey there, son," Sky then nodded to the others. "Everypony," he added, turned back to his son, who held Scarlet. "So, I have some news for you, Night."
"Oh yeah?" Night blinked, sipping the golden, white bubble-capped drink in his hoof. "Good news, or bad news?"
"All good news. The Mark III armor you borrowed from Fang Legion is now in your name, thanks to my... word," his father said with a chuckle, wiping a hoof down his suit twice.
Night almost spat out the contents in his mouth in shock, rather narrowly holding it in his puffed-out cheeks, averting spraying his father, and swallowing the drink, wiping down his lips. "You're kidding!"
Skywatcher shook his head, smirking. "It's yours, Night. More so, soon, it will be refurbished to your standards."
"Wow..." Night's eyes moved down, then back up, his smile widening. "That's awesome! Thank you, Dad."
"In all reality, son, you deserved a set from the beginning. I've seen you in action long enough to recognize that. You earned it."
Night bowed his head in a thanking nod, then said, "You know, I heard the princesses were planning to have you run against somepony else. They, whoever they were, turned it down, and left you as the final candidate," Night said with a smile.
"Is that so?" his father straightened himself briefly in a small stretch. "My, what a surprise this turned out to be. A pure shocker. Have you any clue the face your mother said I had when I opened the letter?"
"I can only imagine," Night slyly grinned. "Did you faint, too?"
"What, did you?" Skywatcher returned the grin, then cackled slightly with laughter along with his son, then sighing contently afterwards.
"So, Governor," Thunder put emphasis on his new title. "What are your first plans?"
"To be quite frank, I have not put much thought into it. Too much on my mind accepting reality at this very moment. I suppose when we get back is when things will come to me."
"I would feel exactly the same in your shoes, Sky," Thunder nodded once. "Just don't overwork yourself and everything will run like clockwork."
"One can hope, Thunderblast, one can hope," Skywatcher smiled, returning the single nod. "Well, I better go find your mother and sister. I'll stop by again in a bit, assuming they haven't left the castle entirely."
Chuckling, Night patted his father on the shoulder, then looped an arm around him in a hug. "Alright, Dad," he said, watching him head off in the other direction after breaking their brief embrace.
Turning back to the ponies around him, engaged in conversation with one another, he could only smile more. With some hesitation of interrupting their discussions, Night tapped his glass to grab their attention.
"This might be quite sudden, and slightly off-topic to the reason why we're all here, getting drunk off our flanks in the palace ballroom. But, I have something I have been meaning to say for quite a while," he began.
"Recruits," Night turned to the five of them. "Private first classes," he reiterated. "From the moment you showed up in Canterlot, on my training grounds, I was annoyed. No, annoyed is a poor choice of a word. Irked is more like it."
"I had my beliefs that neither of you five would pass my tests. My initial intentions were to ensure nopony made it onto the squad, but, a part of me kept those thoughts pushed off to the side and gave you a chance. Today, I could not be more proud of myself for overcoming my doubts, and of you for becoming a member of the family. From this moment forward, into the future, you are all part of my family."
"So, I believe an apology is in order for all of you, not just our newest recruits. And, starting next week, our very own Rescue Sunstreak is due for a pay grade change as the team's very first medical officer," Night warmly smiled, raising his glass toward the brown draft stallion, who blushed slightly as the spotlight figuratively focused on him. "Welcome to the family, Res."
"And Dusk," Night turned to him, gesturing his hoof. "We were all worried sick about you, and neither of us could wait to get our hooves on the ponies who took you from us. Welcome back, man."
The group chuckled, Duskbloom rolling his eyes, but then tensing when Halfmoon planted a kiss on his chin and visibly blushing, looping his wing around her.
"One last thing, as well," Night paused, breathing out deeply. "He couldn't join us tonight for important circumstances. He's off... protecting the heavens, or wherever ponies go when they pass on, probably downing an unlimited mixture of every drink there is to offer in this room, as we speak, listening to me give this sappy, sort-of inspirational speech. So, I'm just going to cut to the chase. To Shield."
"To Shield!" the group responded in unison, each clinking their glasses together, before the majority tipped them and began gulping down the white-capped alcoholic contents that filled to the very top.
Downing the last of his drink, bubbles running down the inside of the glass to collect at the bottom, Night smiled, looking around at the ponies surrounding him.
For as much as he loved his dear Batsburg, this was his home. These were his ponies, his secondary family. He wouldn't have wanted it any other way, either.
***
Watching his father pace in circles, steadily wearing into the floor he trotted on, Night brought his hoof up into his face, shaking his head into it. "Dad, for the billionth time, there's nothing to be nervous about."
Stopping, a worry-stricken Skywatcher narrowed his eyes onto Night, who stood by the door. "But, son, I have not had time to prepare my speech. I must if I am to prove myself trustworthy of being their leader."
Setting his hoof down, Night frowned, striding up to his father. "You've spoken publicly before, haven't you?"
"Once or twice, but not in front of this size of a crowd. Not unprepared, that is," he huffed out, eyes setting on Night's.
"Then think as you go along. Say what you want to say to them. Be truthful in your words. Just, don't go over the top. Got it?"
Blinking, then nodding, Skywatcher exhaled softly. "I got it," he nervously smiled. "I'm ready."
Gesturing his head toward the door, Night smiled back, placing his hoof on his shoulder. "Then go get 'em, Dad."
Skywatcher glanced at the doors leading onto the balcony, then back to Night, nodding once. "Let's go."
Together, the two strode out onto the balcony, appearing before the masses of bat ponies in the courtyard of the Citadel. Cheers erupted louder than they were before the moment the two came within their view.
Briefly exchanging a hug, Night stood a few steps back from his father, along the edge of the rounded balcony hanging over the courtyard. Skywatcher waved his hoof, smiling genuinely down upon the crowds, before clearing his throat to speak into the microphone.
"Thank you, everypony," he began, the crowd silencing, apart from a few whistles and shouts here and there. "Thank you, for this... wonderful welcome. It is of great honor to stand here, overlooking every last one of you, to be somepony I never quite anticipated to be, or take his or her position."
He paused, glancing back at Night, who smiled and gestured both hooves slowly. He inhaled deeply, then let it out slowly, washing away any fear that previously held him captive.
"As a proud member of Fang Legion, to serve alongside some of the finest soldiers I have ever met, to later have my one and only son follow in my hoofsteps in a far away city," Skywatcher briefly glanced back toward Night again, smiling warmly.
"I have witnessed the very best of our colony, as well as some of the worst. From the day we reunited with Equestria, after generations of unwavering conflict, then the times we have been forced from our homes due to unforeseen circumstances."
"In our city's darkest times, we as a united family have persevered. We are... a resilient pony. Without a doubt, it is in my best interest that we continue to strengthen ourselves as a community for a brighter future for our foals, and their foals to come."
"Join me, Batsburg. Join me, as we rebuild our once-great city, to make it welcome for all from every corner of Equestria. From Seaddle to Mareami, Manehattan to Los Pegasus, and everywhere in between, our city's gates shall remain wide open, in honor of our former Governor, Crimson Aphrodite."
"For the longest time, he believed our colony would fare best, secluded from the world, away from all of civilization, and I followed him to the ends of the earth as a guardian. It was not until my son, Night Shadow, taught me the true Equestrian way. Without his bravery, none of this would be possible. We may have very well remained in poverty, but more so, we may not be here to share this moment."
"Let today be the day that we as united ponies guide each others' futures... together."
***
"Come on, you guys!" Dawn shouted, rushing up to the top of the hill and bouncing, as if on an intense sugar high. "We're going to miss it, come oooon!"
Panting lightly in exhaustion, Thunderblast trudged beside Night, ears pinned back. "How many cupcakes has she had?"
"None, surprisingly," Night responded, huffing up the side of the hill. He stumbled and tripped over a rock, only to be grabbed by the pegasus at his side, who began helping him up the side of the not-so-steep hill.
Hopping around in a circle at the top, Dawn had the widest of grins on her muzzle, eventually stopping as the rest of them finally reached her. "What took you so long?"
Night threw a look of cold daggers at his younger sister, making her smile innocently as she backed off. She made room for her mother as she laid out a red-and-white square-patterned blanket, and placing a sizable basket down on top of it.
Last to the peak, Sharpblade's hooves gave out from under him after the seemingly never-ending uphill struggle. He panted with a heaving chest, flattening out his ears. "Just... g-gimme one second..."
"This is absolutely perfect," Midnight smiled, opening the basket and digging carefully into it, pulling out some neatly-piled napkins and disposable plates.
"Seeeee? I told you!" Dawn screeched out, the stallions apart from Skywatcher wincing, all as Sharp stood back up and plopped himself down beside Thunder with Night in between them.
"Dawn, sit down, please," Sky sternly said, crossing his forehooves after laying down.
"Yes, Dad," she replied, landing directly on the ground beside Midnight at the end of a bounce, tucking her hooves beneath herself.
Night, Sharp, and Thunder glanced up into the sky, looking around. Again, it was Dawn who spoke up. "Did we miss it?!"
Off to the side, a soft mare's chuckle came, directing everypony's attention toward the taller, dark-blue alicorn striding slowly in their direction.
Startled, and with wide-eyes, both Thunderblast and Sharpblade instinctively leaped to their hooves to bow. "Princess Lu—"
Raising a hoof to stop them, Luna spoke up. "Allow me to halt you right there, you two. There is no need for formality. May I?"
Night smiled, nodding once to the princess as she strolled up to the top of the hill. "The more, the merrier, Luna. Glad you could join us."
"Thank you, Night," Princess Luna smiled warmly, laying down on the side of the rather large square-patterned blanket. "I do hear tonight's meteor shower will be quite grand."
"Do you control it, too?" Dawn gasped with sudden surprise.
Giggling softly, Luna shook her head. "I am afraid not, my little pony. The moon belongs to me," she raised her hoof, gesturing towards it, glowing in the night sky above.
"Aww, bummer!" Dawn sat back down, laying her head on her forehooves, pouting with one lip out in disappointment.
"We princesses cannot control everything, Dawn Blossom," Luna retained her smile, sparking her horn, and spawning in some tea that levitated atop a small plate.
Some chatter began between everypony else while the group patiently awaited the natural light show to begin. Night sat quietly, smiling among them, happy to at long last spend some stress-free time with his close family.
But then, his mind started going. Gradually, his smile began to fade away, and eventually, fell into a frown. His eyes narrowed blankly in front of him as he zoned out.
With a look of concern, Night lifted his head, gaze setting on the alicorn in front of him. Now was finally the moment he had to ask the one question sitting on his mind for weeks, even months. "Luna, what happened to the rest of my kind?"
The lunar diarch shifted at his question, blinking twice. "What do you mean?"
"Other... hybrids. Bat-pegasi, if that is what they were called."
A frown crept slowly onto her muzzle, followed by a soft, nasal sigh. "Since the day we met, I feared this question might arise. But, I believe now is the time that it is to be answered, and the truth is, Night, you are not the only pony of your kind."
As if their names had been individually called, all eyes turned to her. Night's, especially, honing in on the princess.
"Bat pony hybrids formerly flourished in colonies across Equestria. Perhaps twelve-hundred years ago is when the population peaked. Pegasi, unicorns, and in rare cases, earth ponies, all with thestral traits lived among the bat pony civilization."
"When King Sombra came to power in the Crystal Empire, he and his guards exterminated an entire colony situated in the nearby mountains. It hadn't been until after my sister and I defeated him, where a team of Royal guards scouting the area in an investigation of the Empire's disappearance discovered the ruins of a once-thriving colony. Of all in Equestria, that one had been the largest."
"It was not long after that where the hybrid population plummeted dramatically. In the two-hundred years that followed, it decreased to the point where hybrids were the first of any civilized race on the planet to be deemed endangered. That changed for the worse, years after my banishment, during the Great Thestrian War."
"Due to neglect, and without me by her side, my sister was forced to destroy the whole bat pony race in an effort to protect a collapsing Equestria. Of course, few of the bat ponies we know today did survive the powerful blast of magic from the Elements of Harmony used against them, and since then, gradually worked to rebuilding their race."
Luna turned to Night, blinking slowly. "That is when you came along, Night Shadow, erasing the barrier between ponies and restoring your colony—and many others across the land—to former glory. To our knowledge for almost five years, you have been the last remaining hybrid alive, which further sparked my fear when you set off to battle Topaz that you would be killed. I feared—we feared—that it would be the end of your kind. That is, until now."
"It would not surprise me if the genes of former hybrids still exist within the blood of others today. It is a matter of time before another is brought into the world, whether it be a pegasus like yourself, a unicorn, or an earth pony. To learn one other exists apart from you is quite an extraordinary discovery."
"However, in the circumstances faced, the one Sharpblade saw is likely to have been a defective hologram of Topaz's magic."
Night shook his head. "Impossible, Luna. He was seen standing over me after Topaz's magic dissipated and his army with it. He was real."
Princess Luna then delved into thought, tapping her hoof on the blanket. "So it may seem, then. If the figure truly was another hybrid, it would further support the idea that they are once more making a mark in this world."
"If he was a hybrid, I should be out looking for him, and everypony else!" Night blatantly responded, leaving a silence to follow.
Each pony fixed their stares on Night, either of surprise, worry, or a mixture of the two. It was Luna's that stood out the most, as she gulped down a tiny lump in her throat.
A hoof set itself on Night's shoulder. He glanced over, Thunder leaning forward, smiling.
"Well, wherever you go from here, I won't leave your side. Ever," he said, both sternly and in comfort.
Sharp set second hoof on his other shoulder. "As will I."
"And we will support you, no matter what, Night," Midnight added, warmly smiling, Dawn nodding with a determined grin beside her. "All of us."
"Thank you," Night smiled more, both of his wings narrowly fluffing at their responses. He felt more determined of himself than ever.
Turning her head away to glance off blankly, closing her eyes afterwards, Luna softly continued. "It truly has been quite a dark time in Equestria, as of late. An attack in our waters far east, as well as Manehattan, and then Hollow Shades, Chicoltgo, and San Prancisco. The damage has been caused, and we can hope this marks the end of a terrible chain."
She opened her eyes slowly. "I have also noticed a change in behavior around Celestia with your fellow bat ponies, as well. Likeliness is, they are afraid that she will repeat her past actions and decimate your kind once more."
"Would she?" Dawn suddenly squeaked out, sitting up.
Luna fixed her eyes onto the younger mare, smiling. "I do not see it in her future."
"But would she, if she had to?" Night's eyes slightly widened.
Once more, a frown pursed the princess of the night's lips, bringing a silence upon them.
Night's ears lost their perk, and his gaze fell to the ground. For a few moments, no further words were said. Shuffling his forehooves a bit, he nodded in understanding, glancing right back up to the night alicorn.
"Thanks for telling me, Luna."
Night turned slowly, glancing up at the starry, moon-lit sky, along with his friends, his family, his princess, watching as a streak of white light dashed overhead and disappeared just above the horizon, followed by many others of varying shape and size.
Whenever his next journey would begin, it would have to wait for another time.