(Chapter 4: We’ew Huntin’ Nightmawes)
Moments after what had happened at the ceremony, the news about Celestia’s kidnapping and the ensuing panic rapidly spread throughout town. As for Twilight and Phoebe, she and also some of the other ponies they met earlier; which included Rarity, Fluttershy, Rainbow Dash, Pinkie Pie (also known as Pink Hobo by Marquis) and one other mare… in which Phoebe never got her name. But it was Rainbow that was the first to speak once everypony returned to the library. “Alright, can somepony explain what the hay just happened right now?!”
“Calm down, Sugarcube. Shouting isn’t gonna help us out here.”
“Applejack, you were there when we saw it! That… thing, whoever they were, kidnapped Princess Celestia and crashed the ceremony!” It was then that Rainbow looked at Phoebe and pointed a hoof in her direction. “By the way, that thing you did with the flying swords was really bucking awesome!!! Well, not as awesome as me, but just as awesome!”
“Uh… Thanks?” Phoebe was confused. “Now, uh… What are you all doing in our house?”
“Well, uh… Well…” Most of the ponies looked at one another, unsure of what to say before Marquis spoke up.
“I think it’s lead to believe that since Ms. Twilight knew who that figure was that she might know a plan of sorts to combat this threat.”
“Well yes… that,” Applejack then remarked before looking to Phoebe, “Not ta be rude, miss… but ah haven’t seen anything like ya before. What kind of creature are ya?”
“... I am not at liberty to discuss my race.” Phoebe said, pointing her nose into the air. “And what kind of question is that? ‘What kind of creature are you?’”
“Well, I didn’t want ta say something that might offend ya-.”
“I think the important thing here is that she is here to help us, darling.” Rarity interjected. “We can spare the conversation for later…”
“That’s right… if we don’t do something, it’ll be eternal night forever! Now… oh, where did I place that book?” The unicorn asked herself, looking at numerous shelves as she tried to find what she was looking for.
“What book!?” The pink one asked, hopping around the room.
“In an old foal hood story that both Phoebe and I were told, it was said that only the Elements of Harmony could stop her. There was a separate book on the elements themselves but-.”
“Elements of Harmony: A Reference Guide!” Pinkie announced, which in turn almost caused Twilight to bulldoze the earth pony over so she could pull the book off of the shelf with her magic.
“Was knocking over the pink hobo really necessary?” Marquis asked Twilight, even though the Unicorn ignored the statement and ended up apologizing to Pinkie a second later as she flipped through the pages of the book.
Once she found the page she needed, the unicorn began to read out loud what was on the page to everypony else in the room. “Okay, from here, it says that there are five known elements of harmony. Honesty, Kindness, Laughter, Generosity and Loyalty… However, there’s one part that even I don’t get.”
“What? Maybe I could assist.” Phoebe offered.
“No, not like that. I can read it just fine…” Twilight told her, looking back at the book. “However, I’m not understanding what’s on the page. It says that there’s a sixth element… but it says that it can only be awakened with a ‘spark’... See why I would be confused? There isn’t enough context.”
“Well, does it at least say where we can find them?” Applejack asked, looking at the others now. “It’ll give us a place to start searchin’ and the more time we waste here, the less time we have to rescue the princess!”
“Hopefully it’s not somewhere so dreadful… is it?” Rarity then asked after saying the last statement.
“Well… there’s only one place they are at and that’s…”
“EVERFREE FOREST!?!!”
“This is the coolest place ever.” Phoebe remarked.
Twilight twitched a little upon hearing Phoebe say that. “W-was that suppose to be sarcastic?”
“No, this place looks awesome! I thought that it was a myth.” Phoebe said, her eyes wide in surprise. Which in turn made a few other ponies a bit concerned by the bladedancer’s behavior. “It looks spooky, like one of those dark stories I used to sneak from mom’s collection.” Although, her words were slightly forced.
“Wait, you stole from Princess Celestia’s collection of books!?” Twilight asked, shocked to be hearing this just now of all times.
“Steal is a strong word, Twily. I borrowed. There’s a difference.” Phoebe stated proudly.
“Right… still, why would the elements be in a forest where every living creature can be extremely harmful to those who dare venture in there?” Applejack wondered.
“Maybe it’s some kind of test, dear. Like to prove we are worthy enough to use the elements?” Rarity suggested. “But why did it have to be in a place that is completely unsanitary!”
“Like you said, a test.” Phoebe teased, smirking.
“Let’s go!” Pinkie shouted. Everypony else soon followed Twilight and Phoebe. Marquis wasn’t currently with them, as he had to recharge, staying back at the Golden Oaks Library with Spike as he slept. But as they were going through the forest, they found that a few of the trees in the area had strange slashes across the bark… in which some had a green afterglow the farther they went in.
“This… Doesn’t look promising…” Rainbow remarked. Fluttershy herself just shivered for a moment, before taking a closer look for herself… and noticing something.
“Uh… g-girls…?” Fluttershy murmured, only being heard by a couple of the ponies in the area since Rarity was trying to not get dirty, Rainbow was in the air and not on her hooves, Pinkie was bouncing around on her hooves and giggling and Twilight was too focused on what was ahead and didn’t hurt her.
“What?” Phoebe asked, looking to the shy mare.
“T-those marks…… aren’t from an a-animal…” She stammered, pointing at the deep green gash on the tree as she shivered in place.
“How do you know that…?” Applejack asked, surprised.
“M-my special t-talent is with animals… T-they’re my friends and I take care of them back at my cottage…” Fluttershy replied softly, before looking back at the mark. “F-for a moment, I thought t-that was a strike from a M-manticore’s tail, b-but the cut’s too small for it to be t-that.”
“Well, let’s hope we don’t bump inta whatever it is.” Applejack replied. “Let’s keep going.” Phoebe personally agreed with that, looking at the mark one more time before the group kept moving. Ignoring the sound of something moving in the trees as she stayed with Twilight and the girls.
Phoebe sighed as they came to a dead end cliff, “Alright, I’ll go on ahead and look for another way.” She then teleported to the ground, and began the search. After looking around, there was a loud noise coming from behind the blonde, and as she turned around she stared in horror as the cliffside broke, causing all of the ponies to slide. Before she was able to react, Twilight fell off the edge only for the pegasi to catch her. Phoebe was at an utter loss for words.
After a minute, Phoebe joined the group. “I swear I would’ve done something…”
“W-well… If Applejack didn’t tell Twilight to let go, then she wouldn’t have been saved by yours truly!” Rainbow Dash boasted, causing Applejack to roll her eyes in response to the pegasus’ ego.
“Yeah, whatever. You okay Twi?” Phoebe asked, feeling her knees shake as she felt a pit in her chest. Almost like dread, but different.
“Yeah, I’m alright. Shaken, but okay… Let’s keep going, girls.” Twilight said as she looked at the others along with Phoebe. The woman stared at Twilight, a mix of envy and concern flooding her thoughts. She almost lost the closest person to her besides Celestia. Anypony else and she’d shrug it off, but this… This was scary to her.
Phoebe shook her head, before catching up with the others. As they continued to proceed, Rainbow Dash had boasted her heroism multiple times over to the point where it came off to Twilight as sheer annoyance… Yet, it was when they went farther in that they began to hear something else… The enraged roar of a beast.
Something that caught Fluttershy’s attention rather quickly.
“I can dispatch it!” Phoebe announced, pulling out her Five Virtues.
“N-no, don’t!!” Fluttershy gasped, trying to get Phoebe to put away her swords in response. “Please, don’t harm it-!” Yet, despite what she was saying, it didn’t help for the matter that Rainbow was trying to provoke the beast on her own.
“Why!?” Phoebe asked, glaring at Fluttershy. “That thing’s trying to kill us!”
“It’s in distress!!” The pegasus shot back, going over to the beast’s back leg and pulling out a thorn that had been in it’s leg… The Manticore roared a Fluttershy, sending everyone at edge, before it licked her cheek with a smile.
The Manticore then began to leave peacefully, not even pay any attention to them. “It wasn’t angry at us… it was in pain because of the bramble in it’s leg…”
“That was… Actually kinda cool for the lame route…” Phoebe said, sheathing her sword.
“Hunh… I have to agree with Phoebe, that was rather interesting,” Twilight added onto what Phoebe said as she looked back at her and the others. “How is everyone doing?”
“I’m as awesome as ever!” Rainbow proclaimed.
“Abso-dootaly-great!” Pinkie shouted as she hopped in place excitedly.
“Not my preferred place to be, but I’ll manage.” Rarity responded to Twilight’s question.
“Ah’m doing rather well.” Applejack added on.
“O-okay, I guess.” Fluttershy said in a whisper like tone again.
Phoebe was a bit preoccupied to respond. She was looking around the forest, memories of her first moments in Equestria flashing in her mind.
Little Phoebe was worn out and starving, looking around in fear and confusion.
“M-mom!? Dick!? Where are you!? I wanna go home!” She sobbed. She’d been there for hours, and had already been chased by three separate creatures. She froze at the sound of a dark, low growl coming from behind her…
Her mind flashed several options, two were suicidal, three were impossible since she was thinking about using… Flying swords, which were ridiculous. Which left two options.
Hide or run… And with how loud and the heat on the back of her neck, hiding was suddenly ruled out. And so, she ran. She used her tiny legs to run as fast as she could, her shoes already soaked from sweat, making her steps slippery and harder to run in.
The monster, a wolf made of branches, howled for a bit, before giving chance, easily catching up to her.
It didn’t help that she tripped. Her shoelace coming undone mid-step as she tried to hop onto a visible root jutting up from the ground. Her sneaker fell off half way, causing her to miss-step and tumble to the ground face first onto a stump, and the little girl heard a crack as a searing pain welcomed her. She cried out with all of her might, until her voice hurt as the wolf creature and it’s pack finally arrived, eying their prey as she sobbed, blood dripping from her nose. One of the wolves clawed at her back, causing a new set of holes as well as another wound. This “attack” sent Phoebe onto her back, looking at the beast that were hunting her. Their fiery green eyes pierced through Phoebe’s soul as she couldn’t even scream… She could only feel the burning in her back and nose. But just as they were about to strike one more time, a golden spear went straight through one of the piercing eyes, causing the first wolf to collapse into rubble. The others soon followed or fled.
At this, Phoebe felt the fear inside of her vanish… Was the nightmare over…?
She wasn’t able to tell, as the world around her faded.
When Phoebe regained her senses again, it was when she heard Twilight speaking… rather… abruptly. “Rainbow, just because Phoebe is in a trance like state does NOT give you permission to whack her upside the head!”
“N-no, I was just… Reliving a bad memory…” Phoebe said with a shake of her head. She’d forgotten that this was where she ended up on arrival. It was a faded pain that years of Celestia’s love had sponged out, even the scar wasn’t visible, as the wolf didn’t go too deep into her, and Unicorn magic does wonders in the medical field. “Let’s go.” She said, a renewed energy in her. She was determined to repay her mother for all of her work. There were more… Obscure memories before that, but most of it was hiding and running away from monsters that never caught up.
“Well, at any rate, we can’t save the princess in this murky forest without you,” Rarity commented. “We’ll go whenever you’re ready, darling.”
“I’m ready…” Phoebe said, narrowing her eyes.
“Alright, let’s carry on now… Oh and don’t step in the mud.” Rarity advised… which didn’t help any when Pinkie Pie belly flopped in the mud, causing some of it to land on her. “What did I just say!?” Despite her statement, it didn’t really help with the matter at hand as the group continued to trek through the forest.
As they journeyed, they found themselves at a raging river and a depressed sea dragon that was causing the rather rapid waters to flow violently. Despite his… dilemma, Rarity assisted him and in return, the one who called himself “Steven Magnet” allowed for the seven of them to cross to the other side by using his back as a bridge. It wasn’t quite Phoebe’s… preferred method for a bridge, but it would have to suffice given the time constraints they had.
She didn’t do much during the event. She was mostly stoic, and uncaring. Twilight herself became worried when she saw Phoebe’s unempathetic behavior.
Even when the trees began to scare the mares, Phoebe didn’t seem to care. At least, outwardly she asked if the mares were fine, but Twilight saw behind the facade. She only cared about one thing. Celestia. It seemed, through Twilight’s perspective, the longer that they were in the Forest, the colder Phoebe got. It scared Twilight a little.
They came across a gorge with a broken bridge. Phoebe glared at it silently, a rage boiling in her chest that even her hatred for Blueblood paled in comparison to.
“Oh come on! How are we going to get to the castle now!?” Pinkie cried out, exasperatedly waving her forelegs.
Rainbow flexed her wings. “Duh!” She then jumped off the edge and flew to the other side.
“Oh yeah!” Pinkie realized. Phoebe sighed to herself, calming the storm of contempt inside of her.
She needed to talk to a shrink after this was all over… Or at least, that’s what Twilight would say.
When Rainbow arrived at the other side of the bridge, a fog began to cover the other side of the gorge. Fog that was so thick that Phoebe could cut with one of her sabers if she were close enough.
“What’s happenin?” Applejack questioned, narrowing her eyes in concern.
“I don’t know…… But I can’t see anything over there or make out anything in the fog,” Twilight replied. “However, I do feel Nightmare Moon’s magic nearby… Once the bridge is up, we can easily cross and get going.” It was shortly after the unicorn had mentioned that statement that the rope for the bridge was soon fastened and the fog began to fade as Rainbow was seen leaning against a nearby tree.
Rainbow then flew through the fog and landed proudly in front of the bridge. “Got it! Weird ponies tried to get me to join them for something.” Phoebe and many of the ponies were confused by this, all but Twilight… And maybe Pinkie.
“What weird ponies, Rainbow? All that we saw was fog…” Twilight told her, causing Applejack and the other ponies to nod their heads in response.
“Some… Pegasi that called themselves the Shadowbolts. They wanted me to leave you guys to join their group! But I’d never leave my friends hangin’!” Rainbow said.
“You know, they most likely worked for Nightmare Moon…” Phoebe stated.
“Black Snooty!” Pinkie interjected, to Phoebe’s confusion.
Rainbow stared at Phoebe dead in her eyes, trying to process what the blonde was saying. “Wha-…?”
“Well, Phoebe may have a point…” Twilight replied. “Nightmare Moon can possibly trick anypony into having them fall for their desires and forget the more… important things.”
“... What?”
“...... Let’s just worry about that later and keep going.” Twilight then said, which soon had everypony else in agreement as they began to cross the bridge… while Rainbow herself was still confused by what exactly Phoebe and Twilight were trying to tell her.
Though, Phoebe didn’t cross the bridge. Once everypony was across, they noticed a lack of a bipedal companion. The first pony to speak was Applejack. “Come on now, Phoebe! We’re waiting on ya-!”
However, all Twilight could do was just facehoof herself. “Oh dear Celestia… I was worried about this…”
“Worried about what, Sugarcube?” Applejack asked, just as the unicorn cleared her throat and began to speak.
“Phoebe’s…… afraid of heights.” The single comment soon had most of them look at Phoebe and Twilight with a strange look in her eyes… while Rainbow burst into a fit of uncontrollable laughter.
“She’s afraid of heights!? Bwuahahaha!” The Pegasus laughed.
“Some of us can’t fly you dolt!” Phoebe screamed across the gorge.
“But you can use your Phasegate,” Twilight deadpanned, surprised that Phoebe hadn’t thought of using that in the first place.
“It doesn’t go that far!” Phoebe shouted, crossing her arms and looking away.
“Well walk part of the way across and once in range, then use it.” The unicorn sighed. “Seriously, do you want me to use just use my levitation spell to lift you over here or-?”
“Don’t you dare, Sparkle!” Phoebe shouted, pointing her finger at Twilight.
“Well, do you want to save the princess or let your fears get the better of you?” Applejack asked. “Because that bridge can just as easily be untied as it was fastened… not that I’m suggesting anything of course.”
Phoebe stared at the bridge, weighing her options. “You six got this!” Phoebe said, giving them a thumbs up. Rainbow cracked a grin, before flying over to Phoebe… And then pushing her off the cliff. The blonde screamed, but before she fell too far, Rainbow flew into her back with all of her might…
And then Phoebe was at the other side, cradling her legs to her chest as Rainbow pridefully smiled.
“Seriously? I didn’t mean for you to actually do that Rainbow!” Applejack shot back, glaring at the pegasus. “Geez, going back to Ponyville is going to be much harder than heading here in the first place.”
“With Celestia, she could carry this crybaby back!” Rainbow laughed as Phoebe regained her composure… Mostly.
“I will sue you, swine!” Phoebe hissed. Rainbow just shrugged.
“Hey, you got across.”
As they went inside, Phoebe felt dread form in the pit of her stomach… Not like the one she felt from when Rainbow pushed her into the gorge. Something was amiss.
“Uh, girls… Go on ahead without me… I want to take a look around,” Phoebe said, looking around the room they were in. Out of the corner of her eye, she noticed a tiny cloud of what looked to be the stars seep into a crack. “Pests are in the walls…”
When Phoebe was gone, Rainbow was the first to speak. “Wow, what a b*tch…”
“I… don’t think she was talking about us, Rainbow.” Twilight said as she and her friends continued forward.
The moment that Phoebe began to follow the small star like cloud into another room, the bladedancer remained cautious. She had followed it into an empty room… with the likely possibility that she might have been lured here. “Well well… Looks like Tia’s daughter came here after all… what a surprise…” She heard the voice echo, causing her to arm herself with Five Virtues upon hearing the voice.
“So, too afraid to face me? Hah! I don’t even need the Elements of Armory!” Phoebe announced, most of the Five Virtues twirling around her, while she waved the prime Virtue like a wand. “So, why are you hiding in the shadows, Moon?”
“Who said I was hiding…? There are two of me…” The voice spoke to her. “Consider it as… magical cloning… I’m a clone of the one who is having to deal with the ponies that intruded the castle of twin sister while I am here to deal with you…” That was when Phoebe noticed the same starry wisp circled around a stone statue in the room. The statue of what looked like a bipedal creature in armor and wielding three oddly shaped blades… but as the magic affected it… the statue's eyes came to life as they glared at Phoebe. Breaking free as it landed in front of Phoebe and it pulled out two stone sabers as they came to life. Humming with Nightmare Moon’s magic.
“Wow, nice trick. But oh look! I have more swords than you!” Phoebe said in a sarcastic manner, aiming her blade, and in sync, her other blades. “And I’m much more… How should I say this… I spent my life fencing… And building sh*t, but that’s not important! All I’m saying is that you stand no match.”
“Yet you have the mouth of a chatterbox.” The Statue grumbled, clinging it’s blades together as it sent a shockwave in the form of an X shape towards Phoebe. The scientist teleported behind the attack in a split second, and in a matter of seconds her blades met with the clones.
“I know! Aren’t I just delightful!?” Phoebe replied snarkily, smirking all the while. “Honestly, I’m in a much better mood now than I was when I waltzed in!”
Yet… Phoebe did not expect for the claymore on the statues back to be slammed down… and the shockwave to send her flying into the air. Phoebe landed on her back, which she swiftly remedied.
“Look… I’m still hazy on the details… Who is Nightmare Moon again?” Hearing that though… just had the statue laugh.
“Are you serious? All of these years and Celestia has not told anypony of her sister, Luna? How hilarious!!!” The statue mocked.
“Sounds like your pride took a hit…” Phoebe snickered. “But yeah, I have to admit… I remember hearing of aunt Luna… Celestia told me some stories about her, and she was pretty cool.”
“Well, let me bring you up to speed… I was the jealousy and anger that your mother had tried to keep away… But all that did was fill her up with more… and just like if you were filling a container of water… you fill up too much… and it overflows.” She smirked. “I possessed your aunt, taking control of her through her emotions… your aunt can’t be freed while I am still here… and only the Elements can stop me.”
“Huh… I always thought that Luna was killed at the hooves of Sombra since mother never told me what happened to her.” Phoebe stated. ‘Distracting her is pretty easy. I know that I’m good and all, but my stamina sucks balls… I wouldn’t last thirty seconds in an all out fight.’ She thought.
“It doesn’t surprise me that your mother has secrets… But how many is another story…” The statue said… glaring at her. “I wonder though… what kind of secrets do you hide?”
“Not following…” Phoebe said defensively.
“I’m surprised that you haven’t noticed… tell me… did you happen to have any flashbacks in the forest?” The voice asked.
“The Everfree’s a traumatic place for me.” Phoebe glowered.
“Not always… but there was a specific reason why for tonight…… have you noticed that along the way here, there was always some form of obstacle blocking the way? Whether it was a Manticore, a distressed sea dragon, the fog or the traumatic flashbacks…” Nightmare’s voice said. “Let me give a secret of my own…… I’m the reason for them.”
“You were… In my head…?” Phoebe asked, horrified. Mind reading and altering was a dangerous form of magic that was banished, and for good reason.
“I’m a living nightmare… the fear that ponies have is my power… and what scares them the most… can cripple even the so called ‘fearless’.” She taunted, which provided a window for Nightmare to attack while Phoebe was still processing. Though, at the last moment, two of Phoebe’s Virtues defended her, while the one in her hand struck out, only hitting stone and bouncing off.
“Gah! Damn it! Cheating mothersucker!” Phoebe hissed, her hand shaking from the vibrating rapier.
“Heh… You kiss Celestia with that kind of mouth? Or is she really your mother?” Nightmare taunted.
“Bet you don’t even have one!” Phoebe shot back, before teleporting out of the statue’s vision. Behind it, so to speak. ‘This thing looks… Human? But I’m the only one who's ever been here...’
‘And you are so sure of that…? What did I say before? How many secrets do you think Celestia is keeping from you-?’
“Shutupshutupshutupshutup!!!” Phoebe screamed, tears pouring down her cheeks as she began to sob. “Get out of my head, damn it!”
And just then, there was a powerful boom, and the castle shook violently. Which in turn… blew the doors off of the hinges as the statue turned to see what happened. “N-no! DAMMIT NO-! HOW-?!!”
“Before you’re destroyed, tell me… Are there any other statues?” Phoebe demanded in a threatening tone, snarling. Which only caused the wisp that remained to laugh in it’s final moment… before saying one final sentence.
“Y-you have seen nothing… When the k-keeper comes… there will be n-nowhere to hide…”
As the wisp faded and disappeared into dust, Phoebe turned to see that Twilight and the others were okay… but now also were wearing what looked to be… jewelry. And Twilight had a tiara.
“What in Equestria are you wearing…? You look ridiculous.” Phoebe stated drily as she sheathed her prime Virtue.
That was when Twilight turned to Phoebe, going over and hugging her briefly before looking at her. “Phoebe… the legends on the elements… they’re true. We bear the elements of harmony.” It was then that beams of sunlight began to shine through the room as all the ponies… and Phoebe as well turned to see the Sun rise in the distance… and also the Princesses dramatic return.
Three emotions crossed Phoebe in those moments. The first was a bitter relief that Twilight and the others came through. The second was that of jealousy, towards Twilight and her friends for being worthy of such a power that was a once in a lifetime opportunity. And finally, happiness at seeing her mother. Safe and unharmed by the nightmare she had experienced. Instantly, she tackled her mother into a hug, quietly crying into the Celestial’s neck. At least, quiet enough so that Celestia was the only one able to hear it.
In that instance, she’d realized something… This was the first time in two years that they’d hugged like this. It was… comforting… but it got to the point where Celestia tried asking for her to let go and Phoebe wasn’t so… quick to acknowledge that. “Phoebe… could you please let go… I need to take care of something first...” she whispered to her. Phoebe nodded, wiping her tears from her face as she got back up and moved to the side, looking away from the mares in order to hide her face. Oh how she wished Marquis was there to either cheer her up or at least give her a cleanex.
“S-sorry…” She grunted, trying to mask her cracking voice. All Celestia did was smile as she acknowledged the newfound Elements of Harmony… but it was also then that she acknowledged somepony else that was now there.
Her sister… Princess Luna…
Phoebe noticed her too, and instantly unsheathed her prime Virtue, readying for an attack. But instead, Celestia raised a hoof to Phoebe. “That will not be necessary Phoebe…” She ushered her, looking back as she trotted over to her. “It has been a long time… sister.”
There were gasps from Rainbow and a, “What!?” while everypony else just stared in surprise… all while Luna looked to her sister and cried tears of joy as she hugged Celestia… Before she happened to notice Phoebe.
“D-deande?” She asked, confused.
“Who?” Phoebe asked, confused. ‘She… Mistook me? So they did know other humans… What’s mother been keeping from me...?’ Something inside of her knew that she wouldn’t like the truth.
“Sister, this is not who you think it is… This is Phoebe… my daughter and your niece… Phoebe, we will discuss this later.” Celestia replied to a stoic looking Phoebe. “Now though, I think it’s time to give Luna a warm welcome.”
“B-but after everything I’ve done!? Y-you’re welcoming me back with open wounds…?” Luna questioned, unable to fathom her sister's words as her eyes began to leak.
“What was done then was not your fault… and no matter what happens, you are still family to me,” Celestia assured her. “Welcome home, Luna.”
Some time after the return of Princess Luna and the party that proceeded shortly afterwards, Celestia allowed for that of her student as well as her daughter to stay within the town of Ponyville as the Summer Sun Celebration had officially gone underway. But it was while the festivities were going on that the sun princess had asked for a conversation with her daughter… in private.
“You have a lot of explaining to do, mom.” Phoebe said, crossing her arms.
“What is it that you want to know?” The Princess asked in response. “Was it based on what Luna said… or something else?”
“Why didn’t you tell me there were more of my kind? Why didn’t you tell me I had a psycho aunt that, oh I don’t know, tried to kill me!?"
Celestia sighed, looking back at her daughter as she spoke firmly. “Because the ones from the past were not the same as the girl I remember you once were… Let me show you something…” With a flash of the alicorn’s horn, Phoebe found herself with Celestia in what looked like a particular section in the castle gardens… and around a pedestal were six different statues… one that resembled the same statue that Phoebe faced earlier.
“The ones from the past once served Luna… but when she had been corrupted into Nightmare Moon and I was forced to banish her with the elements, one believed that I had betrayed my sister and with it, began a rampage that almost put Canterlot into real danger… I had to use the elements on them, solidifying them into stone to protect anypony else from being harmed… Yet, even with Nightmare Moon… there was one who closely resembled you, Phoebe.” She said as they walked around them, before stopping at one particular statue.
The pedestal for it said. “The Spymistress, Deande.”
Phoebe somewhat remembered the name. Even before Celestia. “So… Why didn’t you tell me of them at least?”
“Because they are dangerous… and I wanted to keep you from harm's way. But after the incident with Nightmare Moon, I thought that you deserved to know about the Jennerit Imperium… There were six of them, and each one helped with a specific purpose. One of them was even a priestess that praised the sun… However, when it came to them, they always enforced a code of honor and did anything to serve, assist and protect Princess Luna… However, when I had to banish Nightmare Moon, they believed that I attacked my own sister and not the monster that controlled her… Unlike that of Deande… most of them believed that actions spoke louder than words…”
“How would telling me about them threaten me…?” Phoebe asked, her voice becoming more and more cold.
“Because one who is cast in stone is not stuck there for eternity… eventually, at one point… they will be free… and if they find out about you… they will come for you and Marquis first. To harm you… like what they believed that I did to Luna.” Celestia told her, before looking at Phoebe with a serious look in her eyes. “There are many other secrets in this world… some in which I don’t know myself, as my parents only knew… but I wanted you to at least know so you would be ready, if and when they return. But we are to keep this conversation between us… Do I make myself clear, Phoebe?”
Phoebe looked at the ground. “Yes mom…”
“Thank you… Now, there is something I would like for you to do though…” Celestia replied as she looked at her daughter. “If you happen to come across any other individuals or something similar to that in nature, let me know as soon as possible… Spike’s fire breath can instantly send me any letters that you happen to write, so I’ll get anything if you send it to me that way… I still love you, Phoebe… and the thought of you getting hurt worries me… Please be safe, okay?”
“Alright mom… You be safe too…” Phoebe replied, smiling back. Celestia nodded, before saying something.
“Let me bring you back to Ponyville so you can be with Marquis and Twilight… It would be better that way since I was informed of how much you disliked flying by chariot.” The Princess told her as her horn came to life with magic once more. Both of them disappearing as the shock wave from the spell happened to remove a branch that was blocking what was on the pedestal of one of the statues.
The Keeper of the Blade, Verod Rath.